Republicans are mostly pro-Israel; Democrats are on the fence, isolating their Jewish voters

The bond between FDR and the massed jewish immigrants from 1880-1924 is DONE
ZOGBY POLLING:

This week's flare-up involving an Israeli raid and ensuing casualties on a Turkish ship en route to Gaza shows how torn the new Democratic coalition is on Israeli policy toward Palestinians. Near unanimity for a pro-Israeli policy now resides within the Republican Party. U.S. Jews, a large majority of whom remain liberal to moderate Democrats, have the wrenching choice of staying loyal to a Democratic Party that increasingly questions Israeli policies.

Zogby International has done a great deal of work on U.S. attitudes about Israel and the Middle East. (My brother, James Zogby, is founder and president of the Arab American Institute.) The most recent survey was an in-depth interactive poll of 2,471 adults conducted in mid-March, shortly after a diplomatic brouhaha brought on by Israel's announcement of more West Bank settlements while Vice-President Joe Biden was visiting Israel.

The differences in opinion between Democrats and Republicans are stunning. Seventy-one percent of Republicans want President Barack Obama to lean the U.S. pursuit of Mideast peace in Israel's favor. Among Democrats, 73% want a middle course, and the percentages who want either a pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian policy are nearly equal at just under 10%.

Here are more examples: 92% of Republicans have a favorable attitude toward Israel, compared to 42% of Democrats; 84% of Republicans are favorable toward Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, compared to 20% of Democrats; 75% of Republicans believe U.S. and Israeli interests are identical compared to 29% of Democrats; 62% of Republicans support the Israelis' building of West Bank settlements and 64% of Democrats oppose it; and 72% of Democrats say the U.S. should get tough with Israel, compared to 14% of Republicans. Perhaps the most startling difference is in the perception of Obama's approach to a peace process, as 84% of Republicans believe his leans in favor of Palestinians, compared to just 12% of Democrats saying that.

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