Poll: US Jews oppose administration quarrels with Israel

Although 83% of respondents support US involvement in peace process, 56% would oppose such activity if it leads to quarrels with Israeli gov't.

By JEREMY SHARON
Obama Netanyahu 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Obama Netanyahu 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Most Jews in America would not support the US playing an active role in the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant publicly disagreeing with Israel, according to a poll conducted for J Street.
The survey of 800 adult American Jews, conducted between July 7 and 12 and released on Thursday, showed that although 83 percent of respondents supported, in general, US active involvement in resolving the conflict, 56% would oppose such activity if it would lead to public quarrels with the Israeli government.
The poll showed, however, that 67% would support engagement even if it led to the US clashing openly “with both the Israelis and Arabs.”
Seventy percent of respondents said they would be in favor of the US presenting its own plan to help Israel and the Palestinians come to an accord.
The poll also found that 57% of US Jews believe the UN treats Israel unfairly. When asked about the possibility of the UN voting to recognize a Palestinian state when the UN General Assembly meets in September, 47% said the US should vote against any such resolution, 34% said the US should vote in favor, and 18% were undecided.
Fifty-seven percent said they would support a peace deal agreement broadly approximating to the Clinton parameters suggested at the end of 2000, which provided for a demilitarized Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and on roughly 95% of the West Bank, with Israel maintaining control of the major settlement blocs, shared control of Jerusalem and financial compensation for refugees. Forty-three percent opposed such a deal.
The survey was conducted by Gerstein Bocian Agne Strategies and had a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points overall and +/- 4.9 percentage points for split samples.