AJC Survey Reveals Strong U.S. Jewish Ties To Israel, Distrust Of Palestinian Authority, Division On Outcome Of Peace Process

American Jewish Committee
Thursday, 13 May 1999

American Jewish affinity for the State of Israel remains strong according to a new American Jewish Committee survey.

Seventy-four percent of American Jews said they feel close to Israel, and 76 percent agreed with the statement that caring about Israel is a "very important part of my being a Jew."

"Contrary to popular perceptions that American Jews are pulling away from Israel, this survey confirms that indeed there is no erosion in the eternal bond between American Jews and the Jewish state," said Bruce M. Ramer, president of the American Jewish Committee.

The American Jewish Committee's 1999 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion also revealed that 85 percent of American Jews believe that Israel continues to need the financial support of American Jews.

"The responses to our questions concerning American Jewish-Israeli relations have remained consistent in AJC surveys over the past several years," said Mr. Ramer.

The annual survey, which is released each spring, is being released this year in two parts. The first part deals with the Middle East and other international issues. The second part, which focuses on American Jewish views of domestic public policy and Jewish communal issues, will be released later this month.

On the peace process, the survey reveals a complex picture.

Of those polled, 88 percent believe the Palestinian Authority is not doing enough to implement the agreements signed with Israel. In contrast, 43 percent believe Israel is not doing enough to implement the same accords.

Ninety-one percent believe the Palestinian Authority is not doing enough to control Palestinian terrorist activity against Israel. In the 1998 survey, 94 percent said the Palestinian Authority was not doing enough to combat terrorism.

Further, 66 percent of the respondents agreed with the statement: "The goal of the Arabs is not the return of the occupied territories but rather the destruction of Israel."

Reflecting the traditionally divided views of American Jews on some specific issues regarding the Middle East, nearly half of those polled - 44 percent - favor, while 47 percent oppose, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

On the question of a unilateral declaration of statehood by the Palestinians, a proposition long advocated by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, the survey revealed sharp divisions in the American Jewish community. Some 39 percent said Israel should accept a unilateral declaration of statehood, 21 percent said Israel, in the wake of such a declaration, should break off negotiations with the Palestinians, and 17 percent said Israel should respond to a declaration by annexing West Bank lands not yet turned over to the Palestinians.

Some 42 percent of those polled said Israel should be willing to compromise on Jerusalem's current status as a united city under Israeli jurisdiction, while 55 percent opposed any compromise. In the 1998 survey, 33 percent favored a compromise on Jerusalem.

On other international matters, the survey revealed that a majority - 58 percent - of American Jews have a favorable view of the United Nations. Of these, some 15 percent of the respondents have a "very favorable" opinion of the UN, and 43 percent are "somewhat favorable." Only 20 percent have an unfavorable opinion of the world body.

With regard to the Vatican, seven percent of American Jews, according to the survey, have a "very favorable" opinion and 26 percent have a "somewhat favorable" view. Five percent have a "very unfavorable" view of the Vatican and 18 percent a "somewhat unfavorable" opinion. Of those polled, 41 percent were neutral on the Vatican.

Among European countries, Switzerland was viewed favorably by 39 percent of American Jews, unfavorably by 26 percent, with 34 percent neutral.

Russia was seen favorably by 16 percent of American Jews, unfavorably by 49 percent, with 34 percent neutral.

Germany was viewed favorably by 32 percent of American Jews, unfavorably by 29 percent, with 37 percent neutral.

Germany also was viewed favorably in terms of dealing with the Holocaust. A majority of those surveyed - 68 percent - agreed with the statement: "Germany today is making a sincere effort to deal with the legacy of the Holocaust," while 28 percent disagreed.

Regarding the ongoing debate over how to handle Holocaust-era assets which belonged to Jews but have no claimants, 32 percent of those polled said the assets should be divided among Holocaust survivors. Twenty-nine percent said the assets should be used for Holocaust research and education, 23 percent supported using the assets to revive Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and 10 percent backed giving the assets to Israel.

The survey also provides detailed information regarding a number of subgroups, including denomination and age.

For example, with regard to American Jewish attachment to Israel, 93 percent of the Orthodox respondents feel close to Israel, compared with 83 percent of the Conservative and 69 percent of the Reform.

There also was a division according to age: 81 percent of the respondents 60 years old and over feel close to Israel, compared with 71 percent of those aged 40 to 59, and 67 percent of those under the age of 40.

The 1999 survey was conducted by Market Facts, Inc., a leading survey research organization. Interviews were conducted with 1,000 American Jews by telephone between March 29 and April 18,1999. The interviews were comprised of 51 questions and the respondents were demographically representative of the United States adult Jewish population. The margin of error for the sample as a whole is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

For a copy of the 1999 AJC Survey of American Jewish Opinion, please contact Kenneth Bandler, Director of Public Relations and Communications, at (212) 751-4000, FAX (212-319-6156), or via e-mail: PR@ajc.org

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org