This Gallup poll absolutely disgusts me, it is part of the reason I am a disloyal Democrat, and it reflects misplaced sympathies based on an ignorance of the history of Israel and the Middle East.
Asked in March about which side Democrats side with, 38% were with Israel, 49% with the Palestinians, 13% neither. This is the first time Israel did not win the most support from Democrats, who have lost their moral compass.
And even as I write that, it is not quite as bad as it seems.
While it shows, disastrously, more Democrats side with the Palestinians — the spawning pit of terror, anti-democratic practice, not to mention homophobia — rather than our democratic, pluralistic ally, Israel, there is a ray of hope.
The Democrats who count, those who have lived long enough to understand, such as President Joe Biden, and much of Congress, side with Israel during this moment of peril.
Another bright spot was that Americans overall support Israel with 54%, which is a majority, but less than in decades past. I think a lot of this comes from false bumper stickers — Occupation! Blockade! Apartheid! Colonizers! — rather than knowledge.
In the interest of disclosure — and because some geniuses will divine that it shapes my opinion — I am Jewish. This, they reason, is why I side with Israel.
The reason I side with Israel is the same I side with Ukraine — it is a democracy under attack by an unspeakable foe.
Israel celebrated its 75th anniversary earlier this year, and Israel has lived under the threat of extinction every single day of its existence. There has not been one day when Israelis could take an easy breath.
Back in 1948, when it declared its independence, the birth of a Jewish state, for the third time, Democrats were solidly behind the new democracy. Republicans were the ones holding back, then.
The United States, under Democratic President Harry S Truman, was the first nation to recognize the infant nation.
And that state was immediately attacked by five Arab nations sworn to throwing the Jews into the sea.
This was followed by wars in 1956 (the Suez war), 1967 (the six-day war), 1973 (the Yom Kippur war), 2006 (the Lebanon war), plus various insurgencies and uprisings (intifada).
Back in the beginning, sympathy painted Israel as the David fighting Goliath. Americans love an underdog. Think the 2018 Eagles.
Over the decades, as Israel transformed itself from an agrarian, socialist nation to a high-tech powerhouse, it developed a mighty military, out of necessity.
Those coming to the party late seem to think Israel has become Goliath.
This map shows the contrary — Israel is a small island of democracy in a boiling sea of hatred.
Props to Presidents Jimmy Carter and Anwar Sadat for joining Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in the 1978 peace treaty. Props to Jordan for signing a peace treaty in 1994, and to President Donald J. Trump for his Abrahamic accords.
But that leaves a lot of state actors, plus a wide array of terrorists, such as the PLO, Islmaic Jihad, Hezbollah, Hamas, to name a few.
And that can be deadly, as we can see.
Among the lies and propaganda that have convinced some Americans who don’t know better, is the narrative that Jews are colonizers who arrived in Palestine after World War II. Many did, after the Holocaust, but there has been a Jewish presence there since Biblical times.
Want proof?
Jesus was Jewish. Where did he live? In Roman occupied Israel. The victorious Romans named the area Palestine (a corruption of the native Philistines) to try to disconnect the Jews from their homeland. It did not work. As the original indigenous people, Jews can’t be colonizers.
There has never been a state called Palestine.
I am not saying there should not be, just that there never has been.
Another huge lie is “occupied” territory. Israel proper was part of the British mandate, called Palestine. It accepted the offer of half of the land from the U.N. to launch a state. By the way, everyone in Palestine was called Palestinians — Jews and Arabs alike. Today’s Palestinians are Arabs, and there are many states with an Arab majority. Jordan actually has a Palestinian majority. They are not a people without a country.
Gaza is not occupied. It was until 2005, when Israel left, and it has been attacked across that border ever since.
Apartheid is another lie. 20% of Israel’s population is Arab, and they are the most free Arabs in the Mideast. They can live anywhere, attend schools of their choice, are treated in hospitals, attend mosques, and are members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
The Arabs in the so-called West Bank are not in Israel. When creating a Jewish and Arab state, the U.N. referred to the West Bank by its historic names — Judea and Samaria. During the 1948 war, Jordan occupied the West Bank. In the 1967 war, Israel liberated it. Yes, it is “occupied” only as it was under Jordan.
When peace comes, it will form the heart of what will be called Palestine.
But peace is elusive, because every time it has been offered by Israel, it has been rejected by Arab leaders.
So I believe the poll reveals the ignorance of most Democrats, and many Americans, about the history of the region, and, Gallup speculates, it might reflect the waning of religious affiliation on the Left.
That could be, but I think it is more the misdirected notion that the “little guy” is always right.
The “little guy” is not always right, and when he shows himself to be a murdering, torturing, raping, child-killing savage, he deserves neither sympathy nor respect.
My solution from 30 years ago was highly impracticable, and certain to never see the light of day, but I still can’t get it out of my mind. Back then I thought we should gift the entire state of Delaware to the Israeli’s, bring them all over here, and then just nuke the entire Middle East. Hey, in another decade or two, it would probably be habitable again! Like I said, impractical, but a solution.
Hey — me too. I move the Palestinians to Northern Ireland, the Protestants to Israel and the Israelis to Florida.
Why would you want to move our tribe to – ugh – Floriduh?
They are used to hot weather.
And, as Jerry Seinfeld noted in one of his shows, “When they turn 65, it’s mandatory for them to move to Florida. In fact, a golf cart is sent out to pick them up.”
😄
But just know Governor Shapiro, Representatives Evans and Scanlon were present for the rally in support of Israel as well as Rep. Jordan Harris, Senator Hughes and others. There are some Democrats that hate everything and everyone just like their counterparts on the extreme GOP right. And the sooner the center takes their parties back, the better it will be for our country.
I noted that the Dems who count are aligned with Israel.
Tlaib, Omar, etc., not being among them.
I agree with Stu’s assessment, However, I fear that the rush to give Bibi carte blanche is a mistake and will detract from the sympathy that Israel currently has. I read in the NY Times that Israel has advised those in GAZA that they can cross to Egypt. Then Israel bombed the crossing. There must be an ability of those in Gaza to flee before Israel pancakes the place. This is beginning to remind me of LBJ’s insistence on bombing Vietnam to hell and back.
Israel will catch hell no matter what, but SHOULD do an Alamo – allow non combatants to leave. BUT how do we know terrorists won’t leave?
And who will pay to rebuild that hellhole after it is pancakes. No easy outs.
Not unlike Vietnam . Great column
You don’t have to be Jewish to be appalled by what is going on in Israel. I am Roman Catholic and an avid supporter of Israel. Many of my (American) Jewish friends are lukewarm about Israel, which I find difficult to understand. In my own family, I cannot understand one of my sons who simply says, “It’s their problem, let them handle it.” I know he’s not anti-Semitic, just anti-anywhere we get involved it that he thinks we shouldn’t, such as Ukraine. (I think his beliefs were strongly affected by the Vietnam debacle.) In any event, the Jews are home where they belong, where God has put them. That they have survived since their homeland was recreated in 1948 is a miracle, surrounded as they are by bloodthirsty savages who apparently worship the memory of Hitler.
Your Jewish friends are progressive, and not religious? That’s my guess.
The ‘many’ I mentioned are, indeed, ‘progressive.’ I hate that word, because the ‘progress’ they brag about seems regressive to me in so many ways.
See, I knew that. Traditional Jews support Israel
I truly hope those statistics are wrong, which they could be. Studies show people don’t always answer truthfully to polls. I don’t know why they lie, but they do. One point nobody makes, Gaza has a Southern Border with Egypt. It’s sealed. Israel’s border has been “opened” as much as our borders. If you go to Mexico or Canada you must show a passport and other ID. They will all you about criminal background, your purpose for entering the country. They will subject you to a search. You could be detained or even apprehended. Israel does the same at their border crossing, but they are labeled Gestapo, Apartheid State, racist. I have unfriended and blocked people on social media over Israel. I take it personally. Joe Biden deserves a lot of credit for his strong support for Israel.
Gallup has a good reputation. This poll was released in March. It confirms other reporting I have seen as Democrats slide away from Israel. If taken today, the result would be different, I think.
Iran is making billions because Biden softened Trumps sanctions on oil exports. The Russian are also making a fortune because of Bidens oil policies. A barrel of oil has more than doubled in price and Iran and Russia are getting rich and conducting these wars. Don’t for a minute think Ukraine is winning this war and we will see what Biden will do as this new conflict continues. The democrats of old have died off and have been taken over by socialist.
Does this have ANYTHING to do with my post?
It has everything to do about the truth. The democrats of old would never abandon Israel. I don’t have much faith in this bunch. Only time will tell. I just miss the peaceful times of the Trump administration. He really knew what he was doing. But your so full of hate you won’t admit what a great job he did.
Some of you are so blind sided by Trump, that you can’t see the real Problem. This needs to be attacted with American help. Not with just canned goods and blankets but launchning American aid. Not so much boots on the ground, but more support than the Ukraine. Many people have families who are living there and a strong background there. The basis of their faith is there. Terrorists cannot attack a country and kill over a thousand people, and commit genocide and get away with it. I am not Jewish, or Israli, many of my friends are and even in service I stood beside them. This needs to be addressed now, not the way 911 was handled.
Not hate, dimwit. I am filled with facts.
Starting with, Trump LOST the election, fair and square.
And if you were paying attention, you would know I praised Trump for warp speed, for Abraham accords, for space force, and the border. But you are not paying attention.
Stu, why waste your breath? You know it is impossible to talk in any sensible way to Dimwit Daniel.
I would not be surprised to find out that little Danny loved what Ham-ass did.
Yet you would vote for Biden even though he has the country and the world in chaos. Talk about dimwits.
It is not FOR Biden, it is AGAINST Trump.
As the old man says, don’t compare me the almighty, but to the alternative.
You would try the patience of a saint, and I am no saint.
I won’t waste time explaining anything because your head is too far up your ass to hear anything.
You talk of all the praise you give to Trump but you can’t see what a screw up Biden is. I can’t think of anything Biden has done to help the American people. But I can think of a lot things he’s done to hurt them and enrich our enemies.
When you said “I can’t think,” you said it all. Reread previous comment.
Your as brain dead as Biden and Fetterman. Your heroes
Danny, if ignorance is bliss, you have got be the happiest person on earth.
He’s the happiest elf in the forest. Or dwarf.
👌 Thank you for the correcting me Stu, dwarf, not person.
Honestly, I have a VERY hard time believing that “the majority of Democrats” do not support Israel. I can’t think of a single person I know who does not. But it is important to differentiate between Hamas and Palestine. Hamas is a terrorist organization who’s sole stated goal is to destroy Israel and kill all Jews. They currently hold sway over the Palestinian people and government, hide amongst civilians like cowards, and are intent on wreaking havoc in Israel. As with pretty much the entire rest of the world, the majority of Palestinian citizens are just normal people trying to live their lives and not get murdered. But their lives are about to be uprooted because of a bunch of militant Hamas assholes. My sympathies are with ALL the innocent people who have died, been injured, or are about to die or be injured. Israel has a very tough fight ahead, but make no mistake: they MUST destroy Hamas once and for all or they are going to be having this same fight for the next 100 years. I can only hope that they are able to do so with a minimum loss of innocent lives on either side. It’s a simple concept: you are absolutely able to support Israel AND support the Palestinian people while still condemning fucking Hamas and wishing for their ultimate destruction.
You make a good point. Use the link. There are several more charts, very interesting.
This poll was taken in March. I bet it would be very different today.
Its amazing but true that the whole occupier b.s is because of the lies that the hamas supporters are throwing out there that the Palestinians are the indigenous people of greater israel and not the jews .
Some people actually believe that rhe Palestinians are actually related to the original canaanites . They also believe that israels current Jewish pop have no genetic relationship to Abraham, that they simply just came from Europe and chose the same religion.
Its really really pathetic how the far left actually believe that crap , how stupid they can actually be
Another reason why it’s hard to believe why our Philadelphia Jewish fellow citizens vote for any and all democratic political candidates election after election. Hard to understand this.
It;s not so much people vote against them, they just don’t vote.
Because our local Jewish politicians support Israel. Start with Josh Shapiro. And most of Congress, Jew and non Jew, also supports Israel, Jew and non Jew.
I have very little faith in polls for various reasons, from the way the questions are posed to the manner in which the respondents are chosen.
I also question the social media responses that make headlines and wonder about the motives of some of the statements and support.
With that in mind,I came across an article in The Hill that reported on student groups backing off of their support for Hamas, specifically the Harvard letter by 30 student organizations. At least 5 of the organizations that originally signed the letter have withdrawn their support. One in particular was quoted as saying that they didn’t even see the statement until after they had signed on.
The speed at which these attention seeking people respond presents a false sense of how society feels about current events, in a similar manner to how wrong a poll can be.
Polls are a snapshot and I rely on those that are nonpolitical and have a good record of accuracy.
I, too, had heard some of the student groups at Harvard backed away. The majority are still on board. As my post made clear, their opinions are based on falsehoods or wishful progressive thinking. How any civilized person could not condemn the slaughter is beyond reason.
Your point was clear and I agree with your analysis on non political polls.
“Gallop Poll Reveals Democrats Ignorance!” And all along, I’m thinking it was out in plain sight. Overt.
In West Palm Beach yesterday, Trump blamed Netanyahu, and praised terrorist group Hezbollah and Chinese tyrant Xi. He also called Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant “a jerk”.
I saw his verbal diarrhea on TV.
But… when he said Hezbollah was smart, it wasn’t straight-up praise. He always likes authoritarians, so why not terrorists?
And, you won’t like hearing this, he destroyed the Caliphate. I give credit where due.
Excellent column. I have learned so much in the last week about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. I also read something from Trudy Rubin today – I think she would disagree with you here re: Netanyahu wanting peace, though I believe he does for his people.
Trudy hates Netanyahu. Full stop. Many libs do. I did not say he wants peace — he doesn’t unless it is on his terms.
But here’s something to think about: The socialist Left ran Israel from 1948 to 1977, when Begin became prime minister and signed peace with Egypt. The long-ruling Labor party lost partly because of the disaster Yom Kippur war, and scandals among Labor leaders. Too much power, too long. Now Bibi is accused of the same.
Anyway, even under Likud, peace was offered to the Palestinians, who rejected it every time.
Instead of peace, the Palestinians launched the intifadas and brought terror attacks to Israel, which built the infamous — and successful — wall.
Israel now has lurched to the hard right because they believe, with some justification, that the Palestinian leadership (maybe not the people) don’t want peace. So the majority of Israelis have moved from Left to Right, and this latest attack will make it worse.
I believe, and hope, the US can force Bibi to accept peace but ONLY after the Palestinians forswear aggression and terrorism of any kind.
The Egyptians and Jordanians have done it, why not the Palestinians?
Thank you very much for presenting the facts and, obviously, the truth about what is happening in Israel.