Americans’ overall views toward Israel and the Palestinian Authority have changed little in the past year, with roughly seven in 10 viewing Israel very or mostly favorably and two in 10 viewing the Palestinian Authority in the same terms.
At the same time, the new poll finds a slight softening of Americans’ partiality toward Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly among moderate/liberal Republicans and, to a lesser extent, liberal Democrats.
While liberal Democrats are no less favorable toward Israel today than they have been over the past two decades, they have grown more favorable toward the Palestinians and, perhaps as a result, less likely to side with Israel in the conflict. On average from 2017-2019, liberal Democrats have been nearly as likely to be pro-Palestinian as pro-Israeli in their views on the conflict, and that is very different from Republicans, and to a lesser extent moderate/conservative Democrats who remain more solidly in Israel’s corner.
Note: The question was not asked “Do you believe in the right of the State of Israel to exist as a Jewish and democratic state according to its Declaration of Independence even if you disagree with policies of the Israeli government vis a vis the Palestinians.” I suspect that had that question been asked, the numbers in support would be much higher for Israel.
I have little faith in polls Rabbi Rosove. After carefully reading it there is a sense of for or against. People can be pro-Israeli country and citizen, while at the same time be pro-Palestinian people with the hope for a Palestinian state, or equal citizenship within the Israeli state. Bibi of course changes people’s minds every time he opens his mouth or draws a cartoon. If he spent ten percent of his time sorting out a peaceful Israeli/Palestinian agreement, rather than rant on about Iran, a solution would be found. There is no solution in surrounding people with walls leaving them angry and hopeless. Is Germany a happier and prosperous place without the Berlin Wall?