american public attitudes toward the israeli-palestinian conflict a survey sponsored by the sadat...

American Public Attitudes Toward the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

A survey sponsored by the

Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland

in cooperation with the

Program for Public Consultation

presented at

The Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution

Shibley Telhami, Principal Investigator

Steven Kull, Evan Lewis, Clay Ramsay, and Katayoun Kishi provided assistance.Peyton Craighill provided helpful comments.

Survey Methodology

• Study fielded over November 14-19, 2014

• Sample size is 1008 American adults

• Demographic breakdown of sample is compared to U.S. census data

• Online survey format

• Respondents recruited through scientific selection processes

• Margin of error is +/- 3.1% , design effect margin of error is +/- 3.4%

Key Issues

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

4%

39%

34%

8%

14%

Q1. Please select the one you think the US should support:

Refused

Two state solution established with pre-1967 borders

One state solution with equal cit-izenship for Jews and Arabs

Annexation without equal citi-zenship for Palestinians

Maintain Israeli occupation of territories captured in 1967

Refused

A two-state solution: Israel and a Palestinian state side by side. The Palestinian state would be established on the territories that Israel has occupied since 1967.

A one-state solution: A single democratic state in which both Jews and Arabs 2. A one-state solution: A single democratic state in which both Jews and Arabs are full and equal citizens, covering all of what is now Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Annexation without equal citizenship: Israel would annex the Palestinian territories, but keep a majority-Jewish state in the expanded territories by restricting citizenship rights of Palestinians.

Maintain occupation of both the territories Israel has captured in 1967 and the Palestinians inhabiting them indefinitely.

Refused





Refused





Republ

icanInd

epende

ntDem

ocrat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

4%

33%

27%

15%

21%

4%

32%

42%

6%

15%

5%

48%

36%

4%

7%

Q1. Please select the one you think the US should support.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

2%

66%

10%

22%

Q2. If the approach you selected turns out over time to be impossible, which of the remaining three would you prefer?

Maintain Israeli occupation of territo-ries captured in 1967

Annexation without equal citizenship for Palestinians

One state solution with equal citizenship for Jews and Arabs

Refused

Refused

A one-state solution: A single democratic state in which both Jews and Arabs are full and equal citizens, covering all of what is now Israel and the Palestinian Territories.



Refused




Refused




Repu

blican

Indep

ende

ntDe

mocra

t

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

51%

15%

34%

3%

70%

9%

18%

2%

75%

7%

16%

Q2. If the approach you selected turns out over time to be impossible, which of the remaining three would you prefer?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

5%

24%

71%

Q3. Which of the following statements is closer to your view if a two-state solution is not an option?

I favor Israel’s democracy more than its Jewishness

I favor the Jewishness of Israel more than its democracy

Refused

Refused

I favor the Jewishness of Israel more than its democracy. I support the continuation of Israel’s Jewish majority even if it means that Palestinians will not have citizenship and full rights.

I favor Israel’s democracy more than its Jewishness. I support a single democratic state in which Arabs and Jews are equal.

Refused



Refused



Repu

blican

Indep

ende

ntDe

mocra

t

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

3%

37%

60%

8%

25%

68%

4%

12%

84%

Q3. Which of the following statements is closer to your view if a two-state solution is not an option

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

0%

31%

4%

64%

Q4. In general, what role do you want the United States to play in mediating the conflict?

Lean toward the Pales-tinians

Lean toward neither side

Refused

Lean toward Israel

Refused

Lean toward Israel

Lean toward the Palestinians


Lean toward Israel



Refused

Lean toward Israel



Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

1%

51%

2%

46%

24%

3%

73%

0%

17%

6%

77%


0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

0%

7%

36%

36%

21%

Q5. When you say you want the US to lean toward Israel, which one of the following reasons is closest to your view?

I feel it’s my religious or ethnic duty to support Israel

I feel that supporting Israel serves the interests of the U.S.

I feel Israel and the U.S. have shared values

Other

Refused

Other

I feel Israel and the US have shared values

I feel that supporting Israel serves the interests of the United States

I feel it's my religious or ethnic duty to support Israel

Refused

Other




Other




Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

5%

30%

38%

27%

1%

16%

33%

37%

12%

9%

54%

28%

10%

Q5. When you say you want the US to lean toward Israel, which one of the following reasons is closest

to your view?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

3%

25%

27%

45%

Q16. If the Palestinians proceed with their plan, what do you think the US should do as a member of the UN Security Council?

Abstain from voting

Vote against endorsing a Pales-tinian state; use veto power to

prevent

Vote in favor of endorsing a Palestinian state

Refused

Refused

Vote in favor of endorsing the establishment of a Palestinian state

Vote against endorsing the establishment of a Palestinian state (including using America’s veto power to prevent such an endorsement)

Abstain from voting

Refused



Abstain from voting

Refused



Abstain from voting

Repu

blica

nInd

epen

dent

Demo

crat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

2%

19%

46%

33%

3%

16%

16%

65%

3%

36%

15%

46%

Q16. If the Palestinians proceed with their plan, what do you think the US should do as a member of the UN Se-

curity Council?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

2%

27%

34%

28%

11%

Q17. 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 US should react to

new settlements?

Impose some economic sanc-tions

Limit U.S. opposition to words, but no other action

Do nothing

Refused

Take more serious action

Refused

Do nothing

Limit US opposition to words, but take no other action

Impose some economic sanctions, either through the United Nations or unilaterally


Refused

Do nothing




Refused

Do nothing




Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

2%33%

33%24%

8%2%

39%28%

21%10%

1%14%

37%34%

13%

Q17. 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 US should react to new settlements?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

4%

34%

63%

Q18. Do you think it is all right for Israel to build settlements in these territories, or do you think they should not?

Should not build

All right to build

Refused

Refused

All right to build

Should not build

Refused

All right to build

Should not build

Refused

All right to build

Should not build

Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00%

3%

46%

51%

8%

31%

62%

2%

23%

75%

Q18. Do you think it is all right for Israel to build set-tlements in these territories, or do you think they

should not?

Refused

The rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq

The instability in Libya

Iranian behavior in general

The violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Refused





Refused





Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

1%

71%

1%

15%

11%

3%

67%

3%

13%

14%

3%

70%

6%

9%

13%

Q20. Of the challenges facing the United States in the Middle East, which of the following do you believe

threatens American interests the most?

Issue Importance

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

1%

5%

16%

37%

41%

Q6. Thinking about U.S. interests, how important an issue is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Not among the top 5 issues

Among the top 5 issues


The single most important is-sue for the U.S.

Refused

Refused

The single most important issue for the US

Among the top three issues

Among the top five issues

Not among the top five issues





Refused





Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

1%

5%

21%

38%

35%

5%

11%

30%

54%

1%

6%

14%

40%

40%

Q6. Thinking about U.S. interests, how important an issue is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

1%

9%

18%

39%

32%

Q9. When you think about your priorities for American foreign policy, how important is maintaining international law?



At the top of my priorities

Refused


Refused


Among the top three issues for me



Refused









Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

2%

11%

19%

40%

29%

2%

6%

13%

33%

46%

9%

20%

42%

29%

Q9. When you think about your priorities for American foreign policy, how important is maintaining interna-

tional law?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

1%

24%

29%

30%

16%

Q9a. When you think about your priorities for American foreign policy, how important is protecting human rights?




Refused






Refused





Refused





Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

22%

27%

35%

17%

1%

21%

20%

32%

26%

1%

28%

36%

24%

11%

Q9a. When you think about your priorities for Ameri-can foreign policy, how important is protecting human

rights?

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

1%

14%

24%

1%

31%

8%

21%

Q8. When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would you say you are:

Refused

Mostly concerned about Israeli in-terests

Mostly concerned about conse-quences for American interests

Mostly concerned about the Pales-tinian interests

Mostly concerned about protect-ing human rights

Mostly concerned about maintain-ing international law

Not concerned about the conflict

I am mostly concerned about Israeli interests

I am mostly concerned about the consequences for American interests

I am mostly concerned about the Palestinian interests

I am mostly concerned about protecting human rights

I am mostly concerned about maintaining international law

I am not concerned about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict

Refused







Refused







Repu

blica

nIn

depe

nden

tDe

moc

rat

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

26%29%

1%22%

5%17%

1%8%

22%1%

28%10%

30%1%

5%21%

2%42%

10%20%

Q8. When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would you say

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

6%

64%

30%

Q19. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?

Palestinian-Israeli violence is likely to be used by ISIS to

draw support from Muslims

Refused

Palestinian-Israeli violence will not affect support for ISIS

or its strategies

Refused

The escalation of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, especially in Jerusalem, is likely to be used by ISIS to draw more support among Muslims worldwide and to focus more attention on confronting Israel and the US.

Palestinian-Israeli violence will not affect either the support for ISIS or its strategies. Its aims are independent of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and it’s unlikely to draw more supporters because of it.

Refused



Refused



Repub

lican

Indepe

ndent

Demo

crat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

4%

71%

25%

7%

60%

33%

7%

60%

33%

Q19. Which one of the following statements is closest to your view?

Issue Importanceand

Public Attitudes

Thinking about U.S. interests,

how important an issue is the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict?


Refused

Single most or top 3 issues



33% 67%

39%

60%

81%

55%

37%

15%

6%

4%



conflict?

Q4. In general, what role do you want the United Statesto play in mediating the conflict?

– DEMOCRATS ONLY –

50% 50%

57%

77%

87%

30%

20%

8%

14%



Single most or among top 3 issues

Refused



conflict?


Refused

Single most or among the top 3 issues



56% 44%

54%

75%

77%

42%

21%

19%



conflict?



Refused




50% 50%

66%

89%

87%

29%

8%

9%



conflict?

Q3. Which of the following statements is closer to your view if a two-state solution is not an option? – REPUBLICANS ONLY –

Refused




60% 40%

42%

64%

69%

54%

35%

28%



conflict?

Q16. If the Palestinians proceed with their plan, what do you think the U.S. should do as a member of the UN Security Council?

Refused




22% 78%

32%

40%

56%

20%

29%

25%

44%

30%

16%



conflict?

Q16. If the Palestinians proceed with their plan, what do you think the U.S. should do as a member of the UN Security Council?


Refused




100%

33%

40%

57%

35%

39%

34%

24%

19%

7%

Would you describe

yourself as a born-again

or evangelical Christian?


No

Yes

18%

47%

77%

50%

Would you describe

yourself as a born-again

or evangelical Christian?

Q5. When you say you want the U.S. to lean toward Israel, which one of the following reasons is closest to your view?

Yes

No

28%

48%

32%

37%

38%

4%

3%

11%

Jewish,Jewish American,

or Israeli American

Other ethnicities 35%

40%

36%

28%

21%

24%

Q5. When you say you want the U.S. to lean toward Israel, which one of the following reasons is closest to your view?

When you think about priorities of U.S. foreign policy, how important is protecting

human rights?

Q6. Thinking about US interests, how important an issue is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?





7%

12%

23%

17%

18%

41%

41%

40%

71%

45%

33%

26%15%


human rights?

Q17. 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 US should react to new settlements?





51%

28%

20%

18%

27%

34%

39%

29%

12%

27%

30%

37%

9%

10%

10%

14%


human rights?

Q16. If the Palestinians proceed with their plan, what do you think the US should do as a member of the UN Security Council?





13%

22%

28%

35%

19%

28%

34%

23%

64%

49%

35%

40%

american public attitudes toward the israeli-palestinian conflict a survey sponsored by the sadat...

Documents

refused slide

issue importance slide

israelipalestinian conflict

israeli palestinian

state solution

following statements

united states

security council