NEWS STORY: NETANYAHU’S RISING POPULARITY: For American Jews, Netanyahu’s a winner

c. 1996 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Almost 62 percent of all U.S. Jews have a favorable opinion of new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even though more than half said they would have voted for his opponent, Shimon Peres, according to a survey of the American Jewish community released Wednesday (July 10). The study, conducted […]

c. 1996 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) Almost 62 percent of all U.S. Jews have a favorable opinion of new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even though more than half said they would have voted for his opponent, Shimon Peres, according to a survey of the American Jewish community released Wednesday (July 10).

The study, conducted by the Israel Policy Forum, also found that 64 percent of American Jews think Netanyahu, a hardliner, is sincere when he says he will continue the Middle East peace process. Eighty-five percent said they believe the process will continue, although at a slower pace than it did under Peres or his predecessor, the assassinated Yitzhak Rabin.


Moreover, of the 59 percent of those surveyed who supported Peres, 43 percent said they now view Netanyahu favorably.

Jonathan Jacoby, executive vice president of the New York-based Israel Policy Forum, a liberal group established to support the peace process as it was conducted by Peres and Rabin, said the survey results reflect the American Jewish community’s hopes as much as anything Netanyahu has actually done in the few weeks he has been prime minister. “American Jews recognize the difference between campaign rhetoric and practical leadership,”said Jacoby.”They’re betting that as he settles into office and the reality of the situation becomes clearer, he will soften some of his rhetoric out of pragmatism.” Netanyahu, who met with President Clinton at the White House and addressed a joint session of Congress this week, has ruled out ceding any part of Jerusalem to the Palestinians; rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state; and said he will increase Israeli settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.

He has also said Israel will not return any of the Golan Heights captured from Syria and he has made security and an end to Arab terrorism his first concern.

However, his rejection of the”land-for-peace”policy followed by Peres and Rabin has angered Arabs and raised concerns among U.S. officials. It has also upset many American Jewish leaders, most of whom support the land-for-peace concept _ even as Palestinian terrorists continue to claim Israeli Jewish lives.

Morton A. Klein, national director of the Zionist Organization of America and a critic of land-for-peace, said the new survey’s support underscored the difference of opinion that exists between the”average”American Jew and the community’s”elitist leadership.””This tells me that the community has been more concerned with the failure of the Palestinians to curb terrorism than the leadership, which is tied to a failed policy, has been willing to admit,”Klein said from his suburban Philadelphia home.

Klein noted that an American Jewish Committee survey conducted last February found that 82 percent of American Jews felt Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was not doing enough to curb terrorism.”This latest poll fits right in with the AJC poll,”Klein said.

But Michael Lerner, editor and publisher of Tikkun, a bi-monthly Jewish magazine, said the Israel Policy Forum poll’s results revealed more about Netanyahu’s public relations skills than anything else.”Netanyahu is a very effective spokesman,”said Lerner, a left-wing critic of the new Israeli leader.”He talks about wanting peace but then articulates policies that are sure to undermine peace. Once he starts to implement his obstructionist policies, he’ll lose much of his support among American Jews, who above all just want Israel to live in peace.” Lerner, reached at his office in Berkeley, Calif., also said the survey results were a reflection of American Jews’ support for”whoever is in charge at any given time in Israel.” The Israel Policy Forum survey was conducted July 2-6 and has a 3.5 percent margin of error. Jacoby noted the generally favorable media coverage Netanyahu has enjoyed during his his U.S. visit this week. Were the poll to be conducted now, he said, the Israeli leader’s favorable ratings would likely be even higher.


Nearly 25 percent of the 860 American Jews polled,”representing a broad cross-section”of the community, gave Netanyahu a”very favorable”rating, while 36.9 percent gave him a”somewhat favorable”rating.

Another 23.8 percent said their opinion of Netanyahu was”somewhat unfavorable”and 5.3 percent said they regarded him in a”very unfavorable”light. The rest of those polled said”don’t know.” Just under half of those polled _ 49.7 percent _ said the recent Israeli election represented a positive”step toward peace in the Middle East.”Thirty-seven percent said it was a negative step and 13.3 percent were unsure.

The increased influence that Israel’s Orthodox Jews gained in the election was, however, perceived negatively by American Jews, less than 10 percent of whom are Orthodox.

American Jews are overwhelmingly Reform or Conservative, two denominations that are at odds with the Orthodox view of Judaism and are fighting for equal recognition with Orthodoxy in Israel.

More than 63 percent who responded to the Israel Policy Forum survey said the increased Orthodox influence concerned them, while 27.2 percent said it made them”hopeful.”Nearly 83 percent said they think the issue of Orthodox influence in Israel”is an important issue.” MJP END RIFKIN

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