A New Zogby Poll Highlights Changing Domestic Attitudes

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwAPty8CON8

Just one week after General David Petraeus reemphasized the centrality of resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict to US national security interests and in the aftermath of a marked cooling of relations between the two erstwhile allies since Joe Biden's visit to Israel two weeks ago, a new poll conducted by Zogby International shows significant American support for the Obama administration's policies.

Among other things, the poll finds that while Americans retain strong levels of support for Israel, a great majority view the continued lack of resolution to the conflict to be harmful to U.S interests in the regions. A plurality of those questioned further oppose Israeli settlement construction and believe they weaken American leverage and credibility in the the world. Reflecting a trend that crosses into domestic issues, there is an increasing partisan divide with democrats overwhelmingly more favorable to the President's tactics towards ending the conflict.

81% of Americans Agree Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Negatively Impacts U.S. Interests

But Partisan Divide Deepens on U.S. Policy

Utica, N.Y. - More than four-in-five Americans (81%) agree the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a negative impact on U.S. interests, including a majority of both Democrats (88%) and Republicans (77%), a new Zogby Interactive survey finds.

While Americans agree the conflict has a negative impact, they are split about how to deal with the situation. Fifty percent of Americans agree the Obama Administration should steer a middle course in pursing peace in the Middle East. There is a strong divide on this question with 73% of Democrats agreeing that the President should steer a middle course while only 24% of Republicans hold the same opinion. These numbers are largely unchanged from a similar survey conducted in April of 2009.

"Americans have made clear that ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict is important and negatively impacts U.S. interests, but the growing partisan divide over policy is worrisome" said Arab American Institute President James Zogby.

Fifty-one percent of Americans also believe that the inability to stop Israeli settlements makes the U.S. less respected in the world. Nearly two-thirds of Democrats (62%), more than half of political Independents (53%) and a third of Republicans (34%) agree.

Zogby International was commissioned by the Arab American institute to conduct an interactive survey of 2,471 American adults between March 17th and March 19th. A sampling of Zogby International's online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the US, was invited to participate. Slight weights were added to region, party, age, race, religion, gender, education to more accurately reflect the population. The margin of error is +/- 2.0 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.

1. Another $460 million of ourt taxes going to Israel, thanks to Israeli Occupied Congress: The increased funding by Congress is seen as a major achievement for Israel and was support by pro-Israel activists in Washington. Josh Block, spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said that "Congress is continuing its strong support for cutting-edge defense programs, which benefit both the United States and Israel, and strengthen their strategic partnership. Source: http://www.jpost.com/.../

2. Anti-Zionist Ultra-Orthodox group of Rabbis meet with Iranian president Ahmedinujad in New York (the media still chooses not to cover these realities). Photos posted at http://www.nkusa.org/.../

3. From the Jewish Forward: "If Democrats take the House, we're going to see a huge influx" of Jewish lawmakers, said Ira Forman, the executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council. 'But even on a disappointing night, I think we'll see a few more Jewish Democrats in the House.' Source: http://www.forward.com/.../

4. We Don't Need Them: an article on why it is imperative to communicate directly with your neighbors and friends and family; i.e. speak truth to us the people. (old, but still valid) Source: http://www.dissidentvoice.org/.../

5. Israel, it's time for an apology - Ynetnews staff members tell State of Israel what they think it should ask forgiveness for, and from whom. And the list is long Read: http://www.ynetnews.com/.../

6. Report on the Israel lobby debate in NY. "Lobbyists Ross and Indyk basically "lobby" against exposing them as lobbyists." :-) Source: http://www.counterpunch.org/.../

7. Media ownership study ordered destroyed: FCC ordered to Destroy report on concentration of media ownership. WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission ordered its staff to destroy all copies of a draft study that suggested greater concentration of media ownership would hurt local TV news coverage, a former lawyer at the agency says. Adam Candeub, now a law professor at Michigan State University, said senior managers at the agency ordered that "every last piece" of the report be destroyed. "The whole project was just stopped - end of discussion," he said. Candeub was a lawyer in the FCC's Media Bureau at the time the report was written and communicated frequently with its authors, he said. Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/.../

[Hat tip: Mazin]