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American Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes Toward Israel’s War With Hezbollah

Territorial Issues

The following data is based on a survey of 850 likely American voters and the margin of error is +/- 3.4 percentage points (The Israel Project August 2006)

Now, thinking about the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East, please tell me whether, in general, you consider yourself to be a strong supporter of Israel, a supporter of Israel, a supporter of the Palestinians, or a strong supporter of the Palestinians? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Total
Total Support Israel 56
Total Support Palestinians 7

Now, regardless of which side you support in this conflict, has what you have seen, read or heard about this conflict recently given you a more favorable or less favorable impression of Israel? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Total
Total More favorable 39
Total Less favorable 35

I'm going to ask you about each party and please tell me whether they are acting properly or going too far. (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Strongly Acting Properly Somewhat Acting Properly Somewhat Too Far Strongly Going Too Far DK/Ref Total Acting Properly Total Too Far Properly - Far
Israel in dealing with Hezbollah and Lebanon 32 17 21 21 9 49 41 8
Hezbollah 2 4 16 63 15 6 79 -73

In the current conflict in the Middle East, do you think Israel is mainly damaging military targets or is it mainly hurting the civilian population? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Total
Military targets 41
Civilian population 35
(Both) 12
(Don't know/refused) 13

Should Israel stop or continue its military operations against Hezbollah and in Lebanon? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Total
Stop 34
Continue 59
(Don't know/refused) 8

Is Israel justified or unjustified in doing what it is doing with Hezbollah and in Lebanon? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Total
Total Justified 67
Total Unjustified 21

Now I'm going to read you a pair of statements. Please tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right. (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

Israel should continue its operation until it defeats or greatly weakens Hezbollah in order to reduce threat to its own people.

OR

Israel should accept a cease fire in order to avoid worsening civilian deaths and violence.

Which statement comes closer to your view?

  Total
Total First statement 49
Total Second statement 48

What do you think is more responsible for instability in the Middle East? Israel and its policies or Islamic extremism? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

  Total
Israel and its policies 15
Islamic extremism 63
(Both) 7
(Neither) 5
(Don't know/refused) 10

"Do you believe that Israel's attacks on Lebanon have been targeted to Hezbollah strongholds and strategic areas, or have teh attack sbeen generally indiscriminate?" (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner)

  7/27/06 8/3/06
Have Been Targeted 61% 68%
Generally Indiscriminate 22% 21%
Don't Know 17% 12%

"What do you think motivates the actions of Israel in Lebanon and Gaza? Protecting itself from attack OR pursuing expansionist policies into Palestinian and Arab lands?" (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, August 2006)

Protecting itself from attack 74%
Pursuing expansionist policies into Palestinian and Arab Lands 16%
Both/Neither 3%
Don't Know 6%

"Which countries are the main providers of support for Hezbollah's terrorist activities?" (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner)

  7/16/06-7/18/06 9/6/06-9/11/06
Iran 53% 38%
Syria 32% 36%
Lebanon 12% 13%
Iraq 9% 4%
Saudi Arabia 5% 3%
Palestine 1% 2%
Don't Know 38% 46%

"I'm going to ask you about each group and please tell me whether they are acting properly or going too far. 'Israel in dealing with Hezbollah and Lebanon". (Approximate dates. Greenberg Quinlan Rosner)

  7/17/06 7/19/06 7/27/06 8/03/07 (After Qana) 9/10/07 (After Ceasefire)
Acting Properly 45% 47% 49% 49% 45%
Going Too Far 40% 38% 41% 41% 42%
Don't Know 16% 15% 10% 9% 4%

Among Israeli Arabs: (Gideon Alon, "Poll: 18% of Israeli Arabs backed Hezbollah in war," Haaretz, August 24, 2006)

Supported Hezbollah in the month-long war in the north 18%
Supported Israel in the Lebanon war 68%
Did not support either side 11%
When asked to what extent members of Knesset (MKs) represent the views of the Arab public, said they do not represent them at all 12%
...said they represent them to some degree  
...said they were well-represented by the Arab MKs 81%

Among Jewish Israelis: (Gideon Alon, "Poll: 18% of Israeli Arabs backed Hezbollah in war," Haaretz, August 24, 2006)

Said all Israeli Arabs supported Nasrallah 15%
Said most Israeli Arabs supported Nasrallah 40%
Said half of Israeli Arabs supported Nasrallah 21%
Believe that only a small minority of Israeli Arabs supported the Hezbollah leader 21%
Would be unwilling to rent an apartment to Arabs 35%
Said it would bother them if one of their neighbors rented their apartment to an Arab 56%
Said they would be unbothered by such a scenario 42%

If the ceasfire does not hold, who will be most at fault? (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, September 2006)

Hezbollah 34%
The United Nations 17%
Lebanon 10%
Israel 9%
Europe 1%
Don't Know 24%

Was Israel justified in invading Lebanon in the wake of the kidnapping of two of its soldiers by Hezbollah?* (UPI/Zogby International, December 4-6, 2006)

Israel was justified

57.6%

Israel was not justified

31.1%
*Not the exact question wording

Do you think the United States should play a major role or a minor role in the development of a peace agreement? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

U.S. should play major role

21%

U.S. should play minor role

35%

What role do you think the U.S. should play in developing a peace agreement between Israel and Hezbollah? Do you think the U.S. should -- take the leading role, let the United Nations take the leading role but still be involved, or not get involved at all? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

United States should take leading role

14%

United Nations take leading role, but U.S. still involved

56%

United States should not get involved at all

29%
No opinion
2%

As a result of the recent developments in the Middle East related to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, do you think -- [RANDOM ORDER] -- has improved or gotten worse? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

 

Improved

Gotten worse
No Difference

No opinion

The power of the Hezbollah group in Lebanon

35%
44%
3%

17%

The security of Israel

31%
52%
7%

10%

The image of the United States in the Middle East

17%
70%
8%
5%

The prospect for long-term peace in the Middle East

16%
71%
8%
5%

Do you think the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East -- [ROTATED: marks the beginning of a long-lasting peace between Israel and Hezbollah, (or) will only be temporary and fighting will soon break out again between Israel and Hezbollah]? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

Beginning of long-lasting peace

6%

Only temporary

91%

No opinion
3%

How much do you blame each of the following for the fighting and killing that has taken place in Israel and Lebanon? (Harris Interactive, August 8-17, 2006)

  Great Deal A Lot Some None
Hezbollah
58%
23%
17%
3%
Lebanese government
23%
32%
38%
7%
Israeli government
22%
26%
38%
14%

Do you think Israel's military reaction to the situation in the Middle East has gone too far, not gone far enough, or been about right? (CNN August 2-3, 2006)

Too far

32%

Not far enough

18%

About right
41%
No opinion
8%

Which of the following statements comes closer to your view of what Israel should do: (CNN August 2-3, 2006)

Israel should continue taking military action until Hezbollah can no longer launch attacks against Israel

46%

Israel should agree to a cease-fire as soon as possible

44%

No opinion
10%

Do you consider __ an ally of the United States, friendly but not an ally, unfriendly towards the U.S., or an enemy of the United States? (CNN August 2-3, 2006)

 
Israel
Lebanon
Hezbollah

Ally

49%

9%
3%

Friendly, but not an ally

33%

37
14%
Unfriendly
6%
27%
22%
Enemy
4%
15%
47%
No opinion
7%
11%
14%

Do you think the United States is doing: too much, about the right amount, or not enough to resolve this conflict? (Gallup Poll, July 28-30, 2006)

Too much

19%

About the right amount

43%

Not enough
32%
No opinion
7%

Which of the following positions should the U.S. take in the current conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon? (Gallup Poll, July 28-30, 2006)

Immediate Ceasefire

32%

Allow the conflict to go a while longer

20%

Not Involved at any point
43%
No opinion
5%

How much attention are Americans paying to the violence in the Middle East? (Gallup Poll)

 
July 21-23, 2006
July 28-30, 2006

Very/Somewhat Closely

71%

67%

Not too/Not at all closely

28%

33%

What is your perception of Israel’s current military action in Lebanon? (Gallup Poll)

 
July 21-23, 2006
July 28-30, 2006

Justified in all military action taken

33%

37%

Justified, but gone too far

50%

44%
Not justified in any military action taken
7%
10%
No opinion
9%
9%

In the current conflict, do you think the United States should take Israel’s side, take the side of Hezbollah, or not take either side? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

 
Gallup 7/21-23/06
CNN 8/2-3/06*

Israel’s side

31%

68%

Hezbollah's side

<0.5%

6%

Both  
3%
Neither side
65%
11%
No opinion
4%
11%

*CNN Based on what you have read or heard about the conflict in the Middle East, are your sympathies MORE with Israel or MORE with Hezbollah?

How much do you blame _____ for the current attacks in Israel and Lebanon? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Hezbollah

53%

Iran

39%

Syria
29%
Lebanon
27%
Israel
15%

Degree of blame for current attacks in Israel and Lebanon? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

 
Great Deal/Moderate Amount
Not very much/Not at all

Hezbollah

76%

12%

Iran

70%

19%

Syria
65%
19%
Lebanon
65%
24%
Israel
45%
44%

Do you approve or disapprove of Israel’s actions in this conflict? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Approve

50%

Disapprove

38%

No opinion
12%

Do you approve or disapprove of Hezbollah’s actions in this conflict? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Approve

11%

Disapprove

76%

No opinion
13%

How strongly do you feel about your approval or disapproval of Israel and Hezbollah? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

 
Israel
Hezbollah

Approve strongly

28%

3%

Approve not strongly

22%

8%

Disapprove not strongly
23%
24%
Disapprove strongly
15%
52%

Do you support or oppose a possible invasion of southern Lebanon by Israeli ground troops? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Support

40%

Oppose

47%

No opinion
13%

Concern about Events Occurring as a Result of the Current Fighting Between Israel and Hezbollah? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

 
Very concerned
Very/Somewhat concerned

United States' military will be drawn into the conflict

49%

76%

Increase the likelihood of terrorism against the United States

44%

75%

Broader war including Syria, Iran, or both countries
42%
79%
Broader war in the Middle East, involving all/most Arab countries in region
41%
79%
Develop into World War III
34%
61%
Result in a nuclear attack somewhere in the Middle East
33%
64%

How important is the development of a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli situation? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Very Important

50%

Somewhat Important

35%

Not Important
15%

Do you approve or disapprove with the way President George W. Bush is handling the situation in the Middle East? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Approve

37%

Disapprove

56%

No opinion
7%

Do you believe the Bush administration has a clear and well-thought out policy on the Middle East? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Yes

27%

No

67%

No opinion
6%

Should the United States play an active role in attempting to solve the Middle East Crisis between Israel and Hezbollah? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Yes

65%

No or No opinion

35%

Do you support or oppose the presence of U.S. ground troops as part of an international peacekeeping force on the border between Israel and Lebanon? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

 
Opinion Research Corp 7/19/06
CNN 8/2-3/06*

Support/Favor

45%

51%

Oppose

42%

45%

No opinion
13%
4%

*CNN: Would you favor or oppose the presence of U.S. ground troops, along with troops from other countries, in an international peacekeeping force on the border between Israel and Lebanon?

Do you approve or disapprove of the way in which President Bush has handled the conflict? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

 
Opinion Research Corp 7/19/06
CNN 8/2-3/06*

Approve

38%

43%

Disapprove

45%

46%

Unsure
17%
10%

*CNN: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling: :The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East

In the conflict, are your sympathies more for Israel or Hezbollah? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Israel

57%

Hezbollah

4%

Neither
20%
Both
4%
No opinion
15%

What is your opinion regarding Israel’s military reaction to the situation? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

About Right

35%

Too Far

31%

Too Restrained
14%
Unsure
20%

Do you believe a cease-fire should be negotiated? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Israel should agree to a cease-fire as soon as possible

43%

Israel should continue its military action until Hezbollah can no longer launch attacks

39%

No opinion
18%

Are you more worried that the conflict will lead to violence and possibly a terrorist attack in the United States? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Yes

51%

No

35%

No opinion
14%

Do you believe the United States has done a good or poor job evacuating its citizens from Lebanon? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Good

53%

Poor

29%

Unsure
18%