I Know What Jews Like
Actually, J Street knows. The pro-peace/pro-Israel/pro-Palestine Jewish lobby just released a monster of a poll on American Jewish political attitudes. The takeaway: we're liberal as hell; we hate Bush; we know Bush has been a disaster for Israel; we'll support any peace deal the Israelis make; and the only thing we're uncomfortable with to that end is giving East Jerusalem back to the Palestinians.
Let's go down the line. Seventy-four percent of us view Bush unfavorably and 83 percent of us disapprove of his job performance. While 76 percent of the country as a whole says the U.S. is on the wrong track, an astonishing 90 percent of American Jews say the same. Only 21 percent of us approve of the Iraq war and only 29 percent think Bush is good for Israel, and those are clearly the shmucks that kissed ass in Hebrew school and snitched when the rest of us used the synagogue phone booth and cloakroom to make out.
When asked if the U.S. should or shouldn't actively broker Mideast peace, it broke down 55 percent for U.S. involvement and 30 percent against. J Street, the menschen, took that a step further and examined support for the hard choices piece requires. "Even if it meant the United States publicly stating its disagreements with both the Israelis and the Arabs?" Yes -- 75 percent; no -- 25 percent. "Even if it meant the United States exerting pressure on both Israelis and Arabs to make the compromises necessary for peace?" Yes -- 70 percent; no -- 30 percent.
In terms of negotiating positions for an Arab-Israeli settlement, 59 percent agree that Israel will need to "withdraw from most of the West Bank and dismantle many of the Israeli settlements." Another 58 percent agree that for full peace with Syria -- and an abandonment of their support for Hamas and Hezbollah -- Israel should get out of the Golan. Only 44 percent, though, endorse the statement that Palestinian East Jerusalem should be part of the state of Palestine. And while that's the only non-majority position among American Jews for what can fairly be called the dovish line, 44 percent is still a substantial amount of support.
J Street's poll supports its contention that the attitudes of most of us are far, far out of whack with what this country's self-appointed Jewish leaders -- the Joe Liebermans, the AIPACs, the Sheldon Adelsons, the Commentary magazines -- say we're about and what we're actually about.
Comments:
Posted 07/16/2008 09:14pm with
I would like more specifics on the poll. How many people covering how large an area. I believe most Jews now believe Lieberman is useless and that AIPAC still speaks for the Jews. I support J Street’s position on Israel, however, it was AIPAC who had the greatest impact on Obama. If you
want credibility, you are going to have to become more influential in Washington and more visible to Jews around the country. By the way, the lower Golan was a swamp when Jews arrived in 1937. They suffered Malaria. lived in trees and built the kibutsim in the hills. I would not like to see the Golan a bargaining chip.
Posted 07/18/2008 07:52pm with
It’s about time that SOMEONE out there put out an article about how Jews really feel. I am, to the bone, an American FIRST and my religion/ethnicity is secondary. I am extremely patriotic to the USA and I SHOULD mention I put my time in with military service with the U.S. Navy and have been honorably discharged. End of story.
Posted 07/19/2008 06:45am with
The Jewish people have about as much in common with the Rothschild/Zionists as I do with the Rockafellers. War is good for them and bad for us.
Posted 07/23/2008 02:45am with
As for this article, it does not reflect anything surprising to me. I have found, (through my admittadly unscientific studies,) that, in general, Jews do hate bush & what he’s putting our country through, & also will do whatever is necessary (with the exception of giving up the City of David, which I believe to be a bit less popular than is even stated in this article, but that’s neither here nor there…) A very good & useful poll, though! Thank you for the information!!
Now, as for gregorypurcell: What, precisely, do you mean with your drivel about the jewish people & war? Are you asserting that you have a good amount in common with the Rockafellers or that we do not have a good amount in common with the Rothschild/Zionists? Was war really good for the Rothschild/Zionists? & was it necessarilly, then, bad for the Rockafellers ? Please, explain your logic to me! I am an interested student!
Posted 07/23/2008 02:15pm with
hmm. i’d like to be a fly on the wall at the local temple to find out how the really feel about their loyalty to israel. let them that choose israel go there. i don’t really care.
they’re a welfare/apartheid state, at least south africa used their own monies. they claim to be an independent country, i’d like to see them survive without u.s. aid. we should end all forms of foreign aid. we should take care of our citizens before anyone else…especially our veterans.
Posted 07/30/2008 02:59pm with
You all should be ashamed of yourselves. First of all, Israel is a sovereign Nation, it really does not matter what anyone says. If it were not for Israel where would the Jew be in this world. Would you be able to hold your head up high and know you have a homeland, that the Jews took on the Arab Nations and kicked their asses, that there will never be another Holocaust again?
Do you not remember that FDR sent back the ships to Hitler and would not let the Jews into the US.
Do not be foolish and say, oh that can’t happen again. Don’t kid yourself. Patten called the Jews in the concentration camps dirty animals and left them in the fences as they were. Check your history.
Do not count on America my dear friends, the rise of Antisemitism in this country is frightening.
Yes I am a proud American, voted since I was 18 and worked on every single Democratic Presidential Campaign. I was an adviser to Hillary. But when someone asks me who I am, I am a Jew. Ask anyone you know to describe you, the first thing they will say about you is, oh, he/she is a Jew.
Do you really believe that by the Palestinians having their own State, they will stop killing Jews? The terrorism will stop? Iran has their own Country, what do they want to do? Annihilate the Jews, get Israel off the map. Wake up! Golda Myer said it best, there will be no peace until the Arab Mothers love their son’s more then they hate the Jew’s.