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Poll Shows No Weakening of American Jewish Support for Israel

(Council on Foreign Relations) Elliott Abrams - Articles regularly tell us that American Jews are becoming increasingly distant from and disenchanted with Israel. But it seems that what everyone knows is simply wrong, as we learn from J Street, who did a post-election survey of American Jews in 2018. The survey asked: "Compared to 5-10 years ago, do you feel more positive, more negative, or about the same toward Israel?" The result: 55% said about the same, 26% said more positive, and 19% said more negative. More people said they felt more positive about Israel now than said the opposite - with most saying their views had not changed. Respondents were also asked: "Does the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank make you feel positive about Israel, negative about Israel, or have no impact on how you feel about Israel?" The result: 48% said it had no impact at all, 32% said a negative impact, and 19% said a positive impact. The J Street survey suggests that there is no great crisis in relations between the American Jewish community and Israel and that the relationship is stronger than the prophets of doom constantly suggest. The writer, a senior fellow at CFR, handled Middle East affairs at the U.S. National Security Council from 2001 to 2009.
2019-02-20 00:00:00
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