A new poll shows that only a minority of Americans support the creation of a Palestinian state. A McClatchy/Ipsos poll found that 31 percent of Americans support the creation of a Palestinian state, whereas 45 percent oppose it and 24 percent have no opinion. Thus, 60 percent of those who expressed an opinion opposed a Palestinian state. This especially telling in light of the fact that President George W. Bush and his Administration have repeatedly endorsed establishing a Palestinian state. The poll, conducted from January 6 through January 12 among 1,054 Americans 18 and older, has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points (Hilary Leila Krieger, ‘Polls show Americans strongly backing Israel in Gaza op,’ Jerusalem Post, January 16, 2009).
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “This poll demonstrates that Americans understand that the establishment of a Palestinian state will mean only the creation of a new terror state in the Middle East that promotes hatred and violence against Jews and the West in all aspects of their culture, from their schools, to their media to their speeches. Americans and. The American public show awareness of the fact that years of high levels of international aid, including now $700 million annually from the U.S. taxpayer, has not brought about economic development, new infrastructure or businesses – merely more weaponry, incitement and terrorism. They understand that, in such circumstances, a Palestinian state will be an international beggar state, constantly requiring more and more international and American aid, not a peaceful, constructive polity which would take its place among law-abiding nations. Indeed, creating a Palestinian state under present conditions would mean that Israel would share its longest border with a terrorist regime and one from which every major population center in Israel would be under assault with missiles, just as southern Israel is today from Gaza.
“Sovereignty and statehood do not necessarily create a peaceful and civilized society. North Korea, and Syria are all sovereign states, yet are not peace-loving states. Statehood does not guarantee a peaceful, law-abiding country or society but, on the contrary, will strengthen the promotion of violence and hatred espoused by the underlying culture. Better than most governments, including our own, the American public understands that Palestinian statehood is not a silver bullet that will solve the region’s problems, but only make things worse by destabilizing the region even further.”
* * *
The Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1897, is the oldest pro-Israel organization in the United States. The ZOA works to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations, educates the American public and Congress about the dangers that Israel faces, and combats anti-Israel bias in the media and on college campuses. Its past presidents have included Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis and Rabbi Dr. Abba Hillel Silver.
