AJC Survey: Vast Majority of U.S. Jews Oppose Compromise on Jerusalem's Old City

American Jewish Committee
Wednesday, 11 October 2000

An overwhelming majority of American Jews opposes relinquishing Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem's Old City, according to a new American Jewish Committee survey.

Fifty-seven (57) percent of respondents to the AJC survey oppose any compromise that would alter the status of Jerusalem as a united city under Israeli jurisdiction. Moreover, of the 36 percent who favor a compromise arrangement as part of a permanent peace deal with the Palestinians, 76 percent oppose relinquishing Israeli sovereignty over the Old City, the site of Judaism's holiest places, the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

The American Jewish Committee's Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion was conducted between September 14 and 28, just before the tragic violence engulfed Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

"It is likely that opposition to compromises on Jerusalem has strengthened in recent days," said Bruce M. Ramer, president of the American Jewish Committee. "Moreover, the desecration and destruction of Joseph's Tomb, a holy site, by a Palestinian mob after Palestinian assurances that it would be protected further poisons the atmosphere."

"Jews worldwide support continued Israeli sovereignty over the Old City, lest we return to the 19-year period after Israel's independence in 1948 when Jews were denied any access to their holiest places, and the revered Western Wall was nothing more than an alleyway strewn with refuse," said Shulamith Bahat, acting executive director of the American Jewish Committee.

"Jerusalem is the cornerstone of Judaism, and at the heart of that foundation is the Temple Mount."

While an absolute majority of American Jews – 59 percent – support the "Israeli government's current handling of the peace negotiations with the Arabs," the AJC survey also shows a continuing distrust of Arab intentions.

Sixty-nine (69) percent of American Jews agree that the goal of the Arabs is "not the return of occupied territories, but rather the destruction of Israel," a view consistent with the results of the AJC Annual Survey over the past few years.

A majority – 53 percent – believes Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is opposed to peace with Israel, while 40 percent say he supports peace.

Regarding Syria, 56 percent agree that Syrian President Bashar Assad opposes peace with Israel, while only 19 percent believe he supports peace.

In contrast, American Jews view positively the leaders of Egypt and Jordan, the two Arab countries that have signed peace treaties with Israel. Sixty-one (61) percent believe Jordan's King Abdullah supports peace with Israel, while 21 percent say he does not. Sixty-seven (67) percent believe Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak supports peace and 18 percent say he opposes peace.

The AJC survey was conducted by Market Facts, Inc., a leading survey-research organization, which interviewed 1,010 people demographically representative of the United States Jewish population. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

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