In late May, Zogby polled representative samples of Arab and Jewish Americans for Americans for Peace Now and the Arab American Institute. The poll, Seeing Eye to Eye (pdf), uncovered considerable agreement between the two communities. For example,

  • 98% of Jewish Americans and 88% of Arab Americans agree that “Israelis have a right to live in a secure and independent state of their own.” (Table 9)

  • 90% of Jewish Americans and 96% of Arab Americans agree that “Palestinians have a right to live in a secure and independent state of their own.” (Table 10)

If Arab and Jewish Americans can agree on a two-state peace settlement the essential basis for ending the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, then so can we. More important, we should work to make that agreement, already embodied in the 2004 Democratic Party Platform, the common position of Democratic candidates nationally in 2008.
As a veteran supporter a two-state peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians I obviously am encouraged. You’ll find more extended discussions of the merits of a two-state peace settlement in a number of my diaries, including

Here, I present some additional data from the polls. If, like me, you believe that the significant agreement between the Arab and Jewish American communities helps validate efforts to make active support for a two-state peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians a priority for US foreign policy, then I hope you will

  • indicate your support in the poll;

  • recommend this diary to give more people an opportunity to show their support and our ability to reach substantial, essential agreement on this contentious issue; and

  • work in your individual communities to impress on friends, acquaintances, and would-be candidates for national office the importance of making a two-state peace settlement an active part of American policy.

Selected additional survey data.

  • 68% of Jewish Americans and 64% of Arab Americans would be more likely likely to support a presidential candidate who promised to take an active role in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. (Table 7).

  • 87% of Jewish Americans and 94% of Arab Americans support a negotiated peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians that included the establishment of an independent, secure Palestinian state alongside an independent, secure Israeli state, and resolved final status issues of Jerusalem, refugees, and borders. (Table 14).

  • 89% of Jewish Americans and 92% of Arab Americans think it important for Arab Americans and Jewish Americans to work together to achieve a Middle East peace where Palestinians and Israelis each have the right to live in an independent state of their own. (Table 13).

  • 65% of Jewish Americans and 89% of Arab Americans agree that it is to the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians to end the occupation. (Table 15).

  • 63% of Jewish Americans and 77% of Arab Americans agree that Israel should freeze settlement construction because settlements undermine the prospects for achieving peace. (Table 16).

  • The two communities need to learn more about what the other actually believes. Although overwhelming majorities of both Jewish Americans and Arab Americans support the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in secure and independent states, only 34% of Jewish Americans believe that a majority of Arab Americans hold that view about Israel (88% actually do), and 60% of Arab Americans believe that Jewish Americans hold that view about Palestine (90% actually do). (Tables 9, 10, & 12).

A bit of demography.

Party Affiliation

  • Democrat:        66% of Jewish Americans; 40% of Arab Americans

  • Republican:      16% of Jewish Americans; 26% of Arab Americans

  • Independent:   15% of Jewish Americans; 28% of Arab Americans

Political Outlook

  • Progressive:           19% of Jewish Americans; 9% of Arab Americans

  • Liberal:                   34% of Jewish Americans; 21% of Arab Americans

  • Moderate:               27% of Jewish Americans; 41% of Arab Americans

  • Conservative:          16% of Jewish Americans; 21% of Arab Americans

  • Very Conservative:    2% of Jewish Americans; 5% of Arab Americans

  • Libertarian:                3% of Jewish Americans; 3% of Arab Americans
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