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public attitudes on the Israel-Palestinian conflict is the focus of a new PIPA poll
conducted May 1-5 with 801 Americans. A report of findings is available on the PIPA
website http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/IsrPalConflict/contents.html
To see the press release, go to http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/IsrPalConflict/pressrelease.html
Some key findings:
A majority of Americans say they blame both sides equally for the failureto reach peace
and express equal levels of frustration for each side.
A very strong majority thinks that US policy should be even-handed in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Only a small minority believes that this is true of current
US policy, while a clear majority feels that it favors Israel.
A strong majority backs Bush's initiative calling for Israelis to withdraw their forces
from Palestinian towns. More than four out of five Americans support the idea of an
international conference.
Majorities favor the US putting greater pressure on both Israel and the Palestinians by
withholding aid.
A majority is critical of Israel's recent military actions in the West Bank and
believes that they have increased the probability of further attacks against Israeli
civilians.
An overwhelming majority rejects the idea that Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians
are a legitimate means of resisting Israeli occupation.
A very strong majority would support US participation in a peacekeeping operation to
monitor and enforce a peace agreement, if it is a UN-sponsored, multilateral operation.
A strong majority favors the UN playing a major role in trying to resolve the
Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Americans and the
World is made possible by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Tides
Foundation, and the Compton Foundation.
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