The Israel Project checking American attitudes toward the Middle East finds that 56% of voters define themselves as “Israel supporters,” compared to 10% “Palestinian supporters.”

Data from a national survey of 800 registered American voters conducted June 5-7 by Public Opinion Strategies has been released as The Israel Project: American Attitudes toward the Middle East.

Israel supporters outnumber self-described Palestinian supporters by a 5.6-to-1 ratio. 

51% - less than those who said they support Israel – say they have warm feelings towards Israel, while 16% said they feel warmly towards the Palestinians.  Towards Hamas and Fatah, 3% said they had warm feelings, 7% towards Iran, and 31% towards Egypt.

64% agreed that the conflict between Israel and the PA is about “ideology and religion,” and not about land; 27% felt the opposite.

Only 25% support a unilateral Palestinian Authority declaration of a state, while 57% oppose. If the UN General Assembly supports the PA in this matter, then the numbers change somewhat: 34% say a UN General Assembly vote to recognize a PA state will make an agreement with Israel more likely, while 50% said the opposite.

Not Supportive on Refugees
No matter how supportive of Israel they are, however, Americans do not appear to understand Israel’s fear of an Arab takeover of the Jewish state from within. Asked if they agree with Israel’s position that Arab refugees should live only in an Arab state, only 27% said they agreed – while 61% said they did not.

55% object to the Fatah-Hamas agreement because Hamas is backed by Iran and the agreement gives Hamas a bigger role among Palestinians.  28% are happy with the Fatah-Hamas agreement; 24% said Israel should work with the new Fatah-Hamas government, while 63% said Israel should not do so until Hamas is willing to recognize Israel and renounce violence.