Sympathy for Palestinian Issue Triples in US

Protesters in support of Palestinians in Gaza display a swastika at a Paris rally.

Washington, 01 Sya’ban 1437/08 May 2016 (MINA) – Israel’s support is eroding in key sectors of the US population according to results from a Pew poll released Saturday.

Virtually all of the increase in sympathy for Palestinians “has come among Democrats, especially liberal Democrats,” Electronic Intifada quoted Pew as stating.

The number of liberal Democrats sympathizing more with the Palestinians has nearly doubled over the past two years, from 21 to 40 percent. Within the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton is the candidate of the more pro-Israel wing: 47 percent of her supporters say they sympathize with Israel more, while 27 percent lean support the Palestinians.

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Among the supporters of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, however, a plurality – 39 percent – are more favorable to the Palestinians, while just a third stand with Israel.

Clinton’s backers are clearly more pro-Israel, but it is still remarkable to note that this group is under 50 percent – an indication of how much opinions about Palestine and the Israeli question are shifting within the support base of the Democratic Party.

The Pew survey confirms the extent to which Israel has become a partisan issue.

Overall, just 43 percent of Democrats are more sympathetic to Israel, while 29 percent back the Palestinians.

In contrast to the Democrats, “overwhelming shares of [Republican] voters side with Israel, regardless of which candidate they support,” Pew states.

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“Currently, 43 percent of Millennials report sympathizing more with Israel, while 27 percent are more sympathetic to the Palestinians,” Pew states.

“The share sympathizing with the Palestinians has risen significantly in recent years, from nine percent in 2006 to 20 percent in July 2014 to 27 percent today” – in other words it has tripled.

Among Baby Boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 – 61 percent are more pro-Israel, while just 14 percent back the Palestinians.

These findings bode well for supporters of Palestinian rights. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)