AMMAN — A new
Pew Research Center survey published
last week concluded that in general young Americans’ attitudes are as favorable
toward the
Palestinian people and government as toward Israel. It also found
out that in recent years, US public opinion has become modestly more positive
toward both sides in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
اضافة اعلان
Overall, the
survey found that Americans continue to express more positive feelings toward
the Israeli people than toward the Palestinian people — and to rate the Israeli
government more favorably than the Palestinian government.
But these gaps are
much larger among older
Americans than among younger ones. Indeed, US adults
under 30 view the Palestinian people at least as warmly (61 percent very or
somewhat favorable) as the Israeli people (56 percent) and rate the Palestinian
government as favorably (35 percent) as the Israeli government (34 percent).
The new survey,
conducted March 7–13 among 10,441 US adults, also shows that public opinion
varies considerably on these questions by political party. Republicans and
those who lean toward the
Republican Party express much more positive views of
the Israeli people (78 percent very or somewhat favorable) than of the
Palestinian people (37 percent), and they view the Israeli government far more
favorably (66 percent) than the Palestinian government (18 percent).
By contrast,
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents hold positive views of the
Israeli people at 60 percent and Palestinian people at 64 percent (favorable)
and rate Israel’s government on par with the Palestinian government (34 percent
vs 37 percent).
Among both
Republicans and Democrats, feelings toward the Israeli and Palestinian
governments and the Palestinian people have warmed slightly since 2019, while
views of the Israeli people have held steady.
White evangelicals are the group most likely to say God gave the land that is now Israel to the Jewish people at 70 percent, more than twice the share of US Jews who answered a similar question in a 2020 survey by saying God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people, at 32 percent.
Nearly
three-quarters of a century after the founding of Israel, the survey finds no
clear consensus among Americans about the best possible outcome of the conflict
between Israel and the Palestinians.
About one-third
of the public says splitting the land into two countries–a version of the
“two-state solution” long backed by
US diplomacy–would be best (35 percent).
But roughly a quarter (27 percent) would prefer to see a single state emerge,
in most cases with a government comprised jointly of Israelis and Palestinians.
And more than a third of US adults (37 percent) say they are not sure what the
best outcome is.
Age is a factor
in these opinions: Older Americans are more inclined than younger ones to say
that a two-state solution would be the best possible outcome of the conflict,
while adults under 30 are more likely than their elders to say they aren’t sure
what’s best.
Religious
affiliation also matters: White evangelical Protestants are much more likely
than members of any other major Christian tradition to say the best outcome
would be a single state with an Israeli government; 28 percent say this,
compared with 6 percent each of Catholics, White non-evangelical Protestants
and Black Protestants.
Perhaps
relatedly, White evangelicals also are the group most likely to say God gave
the land that is now Israel to the Jewish people. Fully 70 percent of White
evangelicals take that position, more than twice the share of US Jews who
answered a similar (but not identical) question in a 2020 survey by saying God
gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people (32 percent).
The new survey
also asked the US public about the
boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS)
movement against Israel. Relatively few Americans know about this boycott
effort; 84 percent say they have heard “not much” or “nothing at all” about it.
Just 5 percent of US adults have heard at least “some” about BDS and express
support for it, including 2 percent who strongly support it.
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