Reply #10: Clinton did ok. The majority American Jews don't support the settlements. [View All]

[Classical_Liberal]

http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2003%20Opinion%20Editorials/August/6%20o/Arab%20Americans%20and%20American%20Jews%20agree%20on%20path%20to%20peace,%20By%20James%20Zogby.htm

Palestinian State:
Both communities expressed strong support for the right of Palestinians to live in a secure and independent state of their own. Among Jewish Americans, 82% either strongly or somewhat agree with the notion of such a state. In the Arab American community, 93% either strongly or somewhat agree with the right of Palestinians to a state.

Israeli State:
When asked if Israelis have a right to live in a secure and independent state of their own, Jewish Americans almost unanimously (99.5%) either strongly or somewhat agree with the proposition, as do almost all Arab Americans (95%).

Road Map:
Jewish Americans and Arab Americans both voiced strong support for the Road Map to Middle East peace as laid out by the Bush Administration. 71% of American Jews either strongly or somewhat support the Road Map, just as 74% of Arab Americans either strongly or somewhat support the Road Map. Only 16.5% of American Jews expressed some level of opposition. Similarly, just 11% of Arab Americans said they somewhat or strongly oppose the Road Map.

Road Map Implementation:
The survey asked respondents what needs to be done first in order to ensure the success of the peace plan: "Israelis need to start dismantling settlements and outposts in the West Bank and Gaza and freeze settlement expansion; Palestinians need to declare a ceasefire and stop the suicide bombings; or both Israelis and Palestinians need to take these steps at the same time." A majority of Jewish Americans (57%) said that both sides need to take these steps at the same time; the second-most selected answer was that the Palestinians need to first declare a ceasefire and stop the suicide bombings (37.5%). Among Arab Americans, 73% said that both sides need to take these steps at the same time; the second-most popular answer was that Israelis must first dismantle settlements and freeze expansion (18.5%).

Settlement Freeze:
Respondents were asked their level of support or opposition to a freeze on all Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and Gaza. A significant majority of Jewish Americans (70.5%) either strongly or somewhat supports a settlement expansion freeze, with a plurality (46%) strongly backing such a freeze. Only 21% somewhat or strongly oppose a settlement freeze. Arab Americans also strongly or somewhat support a settlement freeze (80%).

Ending Israeli Occupation:
When asked their level of support or opposition to Israel ending its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, a majority of American Jews (58.5%) said they either strongly or somewhat support an end to the occupation, 29% said they either somewhat or strongly oppose ending it. In the Arab American community, the majority of those polled (83.5%) said they either strongly or somewhat support ending Israeli occupation.

Final Status Agreement:
The survey asked respondents about their support or opposition to a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, roughly along the lines of where the parties ended their last formal negotiations in Taba, Egypt: "the establishment of an independent, secure Palestinian state alongside an independent, secure Israeli state, the evacuation of most settlements from the West Bank and Gaza, the establishment of a border roughly along the June 4, 1967 border, a Palestinian right of return only to inside a new Palestinian state, and establishing Jerusalem as the shared capital of both countries." Among Jewish Americans, 59% expressed support for such an arrangement, 31% did not support it, and 10% are not sure. Among Arab Americans, 85% said they support this kind of plan, while six percent do not support it.