Poll reveals sharp divide between US Jews, Israelis on Palestinian peace deal

Two-thirds of American Jews say a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is essential for Israel’s security – while just a third of Israelis agree.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli and American Jews are sharply divided on their support for a long-term peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians – even as both groups remain skeptical regarding the prospect of an agreement, a new poll shows.

The poll was conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute, surveying American Jewish and Israeli Jewish adults, as part of the institute’s Voice of the Jewish People Index.

According to the JPPI survey, two-thirds (66%) of U.S. Jews say that a long-term deal between Israel and the Palestinians is “indispensable,” while just 35% of Israeli Jews agree.

More than half (55%) of Israeli Jews and 27% of American Jews say that such a deal is not indispensable.

The two populations are largely in agreement, however, regarding the prospects of a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians being reached in the foreseeable future.

Just 4% of Israeli Jews and 13% of U.S. Jews say such a deal is not “unlikely to be reached in the foreseeable future,” while 84% of Israeli Jews and 76% of American Jews believe that it is.

Israeli Jews were more likely to express support for Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, with 58% calling them a deterrent against Palestinian terror, while just 35% said the settlements are a net security burden for the IDF, thus harming the security of Israeli citizens.

Among American Jews, 43% said Israeli settlements deter Palestinian terror, compared to 47% who say they do not.

Well over half (57%) of U.S. Jews believe Israeli settlements are a net burden on the Israeli military, and thus negatively impact the security of Israeli citizens as a whole, while just 36% disagree.

“The gap between the views of Israeli Jews and their American Jewish counterparts regarding the future of Judea and Samaria is not new—but the war has widened this divide significantly,” said Dr. Shuki Friedman, Director-General of JPPI.

“While most American Jews still believe that the ‘two-state solution’ is the right path to resolving the conflict and should be actively pursued, only a small minority of Israeli Jews hold this belief.”

“There is also a significant divergence on attitudes toward settlements in Judea and Samaria. These differences challenge the relationship between the two communities.”

“However, recognizing the moral and strategic importance of maintaining these ties, the Israeli government and the Israeli public must continue to strengthen the connection between the two Jewish communities, despite differing perspectives on reality.”