2001 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion: Overwhelming Support for War Against Terrorism

American Jewish Committee
Monday, 17 December 2001

An overwhelming majority – 85 percent – of American Jews approve of President Bush's handling of the U.S. campaign against terrorism, and 91 percent support the U.S. military action against Afghanistan. More than two-thirds – 69 percent – believe the U.S. should mount a broader war against terrorist groups and the nations that support them.

As part of the U.S. response to terrorism, a majority of U.S. Jews – 77 percent – believe that Americans will have to give up some of their personal freedoms in order to make the country safe from terrorist attacks. There is strong support for enhancing law enforcement activities and for instituting a national ID card.

These are among the chief findings in the American Jewish Committee's 2001 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, which was carried out between November 19 and December 4.

The fifth annual AJC survey, released today, looked at the consequences of the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States, the Arab-Israeli peace process, Jewish perceptions of anti-Semitism, Jewish opinion about various countries and the UN, political and social issues in the U.S., and Jewish identity concerns.

The 2001 survey found that an overwhelming majority – 85 percent – of American Jews sees the U.S. – Israel relationship as positive, while 14 percent characterize relations as negative.

But, regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict, some 80 percent of American Jews are concerned that the U.S. will pressure Israel to make concessions to the Palestinians in order to keep the Arab counties in the anti-terrorism coalition organized after the September 11 attacks.

While there continues to be strong support for the Israeli government in its quest for peace, there also remains a high level of distrust, consistent with AJC surveys in recent years, regarding the Palestinian leadership and the Arab world's intentions.

* Nearly two-thirds – 65 percent – support the Israeli government's current handling of relations with Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority, while 26 percent are opposed.

* Ninety-three percent of American Jews believe that the Palestinian Authority is not doing enough to control terrorist activity against Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian extremist groups.

* Seventy-three percent believe that the goal of the Arabs is the destruction of Israel, not the return of occupied territories.

* U.S. Jews are almost evenly divided in reacting to the assertion by some that Yasser Arafat is Israel's Osama Bin Laden. Forty-four percent agree, and 50 percent disagree.

* Fifty-three percent favor, and 39 percent oppose, the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The 2001 survey asked about anti-Semitism around the world, finding that 38 percent believe it is a very serious problem, 59 percent somewhat of a problem, while only two percent see it not a problem at all.

* Over the next several years, 47 percent of U.S. Jews believe that anti-Semitism around the world will increase, 8 percent believe it will decrease and 44 percent say it will remain the same.

* With regard to the United States, anti-Semitism is seen as a very serious problem by 26 percent of U.S. Jews, and somewhat of a problem by 67 percent, while 7 percent don't see it as problem at all.

* In the U.S. battle against terrorism, American Jews are generally open to enhanced law enforcement activities to combat terrorism.

* Ninety-two percent would favor expanding undercover activities to penetrate groups under suspicion

* Seventy-seven percent would favor closer monitoring of banking and credit card transactions to trace funding sources.

* Seventy percent would favor creation of a national I.D. system for all U.S. citizens.

American Jews are divided on law enforcement monitoring of internet discussions, of cell phones, and e-mail.

* 55 percent favor and 42 percent oppose law enforcement monitoring of internet discussions in chat rooms and other forums.

* 50 percent favor and 46 percent oppose expanded government monitoring of cell phones and e-mail to intercept communications.

A solid majority of American Jews oppose racial profiling in the battle against terrorism.

* 32 percent favor and 66 percent oppose profiling of people and searching them based on their nationality, race or religion.

In the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks 49 percent of American Jews think the number of immigrants permitted to come to the U.S. should be decreased, while 9 percent favor an increase and 39 percent believe the numbers should remain the same as now.

This view comes from a community that long has supported generous immigration policies and has advocated the positive contributions made by immigrants to American society. Indeed, in the AJC survey, 82 percent of U.S. Jews agree with the statement "Immigrants make America more open to new ideas and cultures," and 63 percent believe immigrants are good for America's economy.

American Jews continue to view the UN positively, with 56 percent holding a favorable opinion of the UN, and 20 percent unfavorable.

Asked their opinions of 15 foreign countries, American Jews view Great Britain (90 percent) and Australia (80 percent) most favorably, and Iran (86 percent) and Syria (77 percent) most unfavorably.

On Jewish identity issues, respondents were asked which qualities they consider most important to Jewish identity.

* Forty percent said being part of the Jewish people.

* Twenty percent said a commitment to social justice.

* Fourteen percent said religious observance.

Market Facts, Inc., a leading survey research organization, conducted the 2001 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion for the American Jewish Committee. The 1,015 respondents were interviewed by telephone between November 19 and December 4, 2001. 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