Brookings: Americans are increasingly critical of Israel

[Algernon Moncrieff]

Link

The first issue to consider is advocacy for a one-state solution, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, with equal citizenship for all, which would in effect threaten Israel’s status as a Jewish-majority state, as Arabs might soon outnumber Jews on that territory. In fact, this solution has considerable support among the American public, as revealed in a University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll, fielded by Nielson Scarborough, which was conducted in September and October among a nationally representative sample of 2,352 Americans, with a 2 percent margin of error. When asked what outcome they want U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to seek in mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Americans are split between one state with equal citizenship and two states coexisting side by side: 35 percent say they want a one-state solution outright, while 36 percent advocate a two-state solution, 11 percent support maintaining the occupation, and 8 percent back annexation without equal citizenship. Among those between 18 and 34 years old, support for one state climbs to 42 percent.

...

Second, while most Americans have probably never heard of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement that Hill backs, our poll shows that a large number of Americans support imposing sanctions or more serious measures if Israeli settlements in the West Bank continue to expand: 40 percent of Americans support such measures, including a majority of Democrats (56 percent). This comes as senators, including Democrats, are proposing, despite continued ACLU opposition, to delegitimize and criminalize voluntary boycotts of Israel or settlements through the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, while not differentiating between Israeli settlements in the West Bank from those in Israel proper.

Third, there is a growing sense that the Israeli government has “too much influence” on U.S. politics and policies: 38 percent of all Americans (including 55 percent of Democrats, and 44 percent of those under 35 years old), say the Israeli government has too much influence on the U.S. government, compared with 9 percent who say it has “too little influence” and 48 percent who say it has “about the right level of influence.” While the number of Jewish participants in the sample (115) is too small to generalize with confidence, it is notable that their views fall along the same lines of the national trend: 37 percent say Israel has too much influence, 54 percent say it has the right level, and 7 percent say it has too little influence.

[Sneederbunk]

1. As well they should be.

[Merlot]

2. I'm critical of the oversized influence and importance it's given in our politics

Really don't care about the actual place one way or the other.

[RockRaven]

3. Bibi f-ed up by inserting himself into domestic US politics.

His anti-Obama and pro-GOP actions have opened the door for Dems to ditch the previously expected "always support Israel" position of both political parties. Unquestioned support for Israel will eventually be a strictly partisan GOP position. That will be bad for Israel, and it is Bibi's fault.

[Mosby]

4. the results are based on a push poll

Look at this question:

TRENDLINE QUESTION ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS 2014-2018: One of the issues of tension between the United States and Israel has been its construction of Israeli settlements in the territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 war. These settlements are considered illegal by most of the international community and have been opposed by every U.S. administration, both Republican and Democratic. The Israeli government has continued to build settlements arguing that they have the right to do so, or that these are not obstacles to peace. How do you believe the U.S. should react to new settlements?
...........

Please. The Israelis liberated the West Bank and Gaza in 1967 from the illegal occupiers, Jordan and Egypt, who violated the partition agreement in 1947 and started a war so they could steal land to expand the area under Islamic control. This was their first attempt at genocide of the Jews of Israel, which failed horribly. During the illegal occupation (1948-1967) Jewish holy site were destroyed and defaced, synagogues and Jewish cemeteries were destroyed and Jews were forbidden from access to holy sites. This ended in 1967, after the second attempt of genocide failed, when Israel took control of the area and ensured everyone's rights would be respected.

This mythical "international community" has no legal authority, many international law specialists consider the area "disputed territory". The Arabs rejected partition, so it's a complete stretch to claim that it's Palestinian land, they LITERALLY rejected that formulation in 1947.

[keithbvadu2]

5. Trump's Nazis spoke out loudly against Jews as they marched in Charlottesville.

Trump's Nazis spoke out loudly against Jews as they marched in Charlottesville.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

6. Yet Trump supporters claim they support Israeli policy

Keep in mind that, in a polarized America with deep political antagonism, it’s hardly surprising that Americans would have sharply divided views on Israelis and Palestinians. What many read as a rising anti-Israeli sentiment among Democrats is mischaracterized; it reflects anger toward Israeli policies—and increasingly, with the values projected by the current Israeli government.

On the question of whether Americans want the Trump administration to lean toward Israel, toward the Palestinians, or toward neither side, there is a vast difference between Republicans and Democrats in the new poll: While a majority of Republicans want Washington to lean toward Israel outright (57 percent), a substantial majority of Democrats (82 percent) want it to lean toward neither side, with 8 percent wanting it to lean toward the Palestinians and 7 percent toward Israel. Still, it’s inaccurate to label the Democrats’ even-handedness as “anti-Israel.”

Link (essentially the same article in a different publication)

[keithbvadu2]

7. Trumpeteers have to like Jews now? They get confused.

Trumpeteers have to like Jews now? They get confused.