ADL Poll Finds Americans Continue To Strongly Support Israel

[MikeGalos]

ADL Poll Finds Americans Continue To Strongly Support Israel

JERUSALEM, December 17, 2003… A survey of American attitudes toward the Middle East released today by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) revealed that: Americans continue to stand squarely behind Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; are mostly positive about the US-Israel relationship; many believe that anti-Semitism is reaching dangerous levels in Europe and throughout the globe.

The nationwide poll of 1,200 American adults was conducted December 1- 4, 2003, by The Marttila Communications Group.

Among the main survey findings were:

• Americans sympathize more with Israel -- 40% --than with the Palestinians – 15%.
• 39% believe the Palestinians are more responsible for the current violence; 16% blame Israel.
• 70% of Americans believe Israel is more serious about reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians; 46% think the Palestinians are serious.
• 75% believe that the U.S.-Israel special relationship is based on shared values of freedom and democracy.
• 57% of the respondents said the U.S. has a moral obligation to combat anti-Semitism throughout the world through its foreign policy.

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The ADL survey asked several questions about the rise of anti-Semitism worldwide. Many Americans -- 40% -- believe that anti-Semitism has reached its most dangerous levels since the 1930s. A majority – 57% -- believe the U.S. has a moral obligation to combat anti-Semitism throughout the world as part of its foreign policy.

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Questions asked of all 1,200 respondents have a margin of error of +/- 2.8%; questions asked to demographically proportional "split samples" of 600 each have a margin of errors of +/-4%.

<Full article and summary at: http://www.adl.org/PresRele/IslME_62/4429_62.htm >

<Full survey results at: http://www.adl.org/Israel/am_attitudes_2003/ >

[MikeGalos]

1. Interesting to see

what the non-fringe public feels about both Israel and the growth of Anti-Semtism especially as we plan strategy for this election year...

[bluesoul]

2. I guess the

media has nothing to do with the results, hey? When most of the big media (if not all) are so pro-Israel, one cannot wonder.. Considering Bush's high ratings..

And I am sure the american public get's the most objective and fair picture about the conflict from the big media, right?

[RPG-7]

3. your "non-fringe"

consists of evangelical Christians who think God would strike them dead if they said anything bad about Israel, anti-muslim fanatics, and the vast horde of Americans who couldn't find the middle east on a map and have no idea what a Palestinian is except that they apparently don't like living with Jews.

[beanball]

5. Why can't

a person be pro-justice and not called anti-semitic?

[Gimel]

6. No one's perfect

Israel's government is made up of human beings who make their share of mistakes. The democratic process puts certain goals and ideals above others. The ideals, however, do not require a government to disregard the lives of it's citizens. The existence of a state is not a question it should have to consider. The protection of it's citizens it's a fundamental obligation. Israel should not be required to commit suicide as a nation in order to fulfill the UN vote.

[bemildred]

4. Slightly different spin in Haaretz:

Almost half the American people believe Israel
is a threat to world peace, according to a poll
presented Wednesday by a Jewish group, but
many more are concerned about North Korea,
Iraq and Iran.

The Anti-Defamation League said its survey
showed much less concern about Israel among
Americans than a recent poll in Europe, where
Israel was at the top of the list of countries
perceived as threatening world peace.

The ADL poll showed that 43 percent of
Americans believe Israel is a threat to world
peace, placing it behind seven other countries.
In last month's Eurobarometer poll, 59 percent
of Europeans chose Israel, ranking it number
one.

North Korea ranked first in the U.S. poll at 77
percent, with Iraq and Iran tied for second at 76
percent. About 37 percent of Americans said
the United States itself was the greatest threat.

Haaretz

[sushi]

7. I wonder how many

of these 1200 respondents are thinking persons.

[Saudade]

8. Ignorance

Yet another testament to the power of propaganda and the ignorance of the American public.