Poll Watch: J Street/GBA (D) National Survey of American Jews

J Street/GBA (D) National Survey of American Jews

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?

• Strongly approve 12%
• Somewhat approve 48%
• Somewhat disapprove 21%
• Strongly disapprove 18%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy?

• Strongly approve 8%
• Somewhat approve 42%
• Somewhat disapprove 27%
• Strongly disapprove 22%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the Arab-Israeli conflict?

• Strongly approve 9%
• Somewhat approve 35%
• Somewhat disapprove 31%
• Strongly disapprove 26%

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

• Bill Clinton 66% / 22% {+44%}
• Benjamin Netanyahu 50% / 20% {+30%}
• Barack Obama 56% / 34% {+22%}
• Democratic Party 49% / 33% {+16%}
• Tzipi Livni 16% / 11% {+5%}
• The United Nations 37% / 40% {-3%}
• Jonathan Pollard 10% / 20% {-10%}
• Mitt Romney 16% / 60% {-44%}
• Michele Bachmann 12% / 57% {-45%}
• Republican Party 18% / 67% {-49%}
• Glenn Beck 10% / 66% {-56%}
• George W. Bush 16% / 73% {-57%}
• The Tea Party Movement 12% / 74% {-62%}

It is a long way off, but thinking about the election for president in 2012, if the election were held today and the candidates were Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, for whom would you vote?

• Barack Obama 63%
• Mitt Romney 24%

If the election were held today and the candidates were Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Michele Bachman, for whom would you vote?

• Barack Obama 67%
• Michele Bachmann 19%

Thinking about the election for Congress in 2012, if the election were held today, would you be voting for the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate in the district where you live?

• Democratic candidate 62%
• Republican candidate 20%

Do you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict?

• Strongly support 31%
• Somewhat support 52%
• Somewhat oppose 14%
• Strongly oppose 4%

(If support US playing active role in helping parties resolve Arab-Israeli conflict) Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States publicly stating its disagreements with both the Israelis and the Arabs?

• Strongly support 30%
• Somewhat support 51%
• Somewhat oppose 15%
• Strongly oppose 3%

(If support US playing active role in helping parties resolve Arab-Israeli conflict) Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States publicly stating its disagreements with Israel?

• Strongly support 18%
• Somewhat support 35%
• Somewhat oppose 31%
• Strongly oppose 15%

Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States putting forth a peace plan that proposes borders and security arrangements between Israelis and Palestinians?

• Strongly support 21%
• Somewhat support 50%
• Somewhat oppose 20%
• Strongly oppose 9%

Thinking about the United Nations, how important of a role do you think it plays in promoting international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, and promoting social progress, better living standards, and human rights?

• Very important role 25%
• Somewhat important role 42%
• Somewhat not important role 19%
• Not at all important role 14%

Thinking about the United Nations, how good of a job do you think it does in promoting international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, and promoting social progress, better living standards, and human rights?

• Excellent job 4%
• Good job 24%
• Only fair job 49%
• Poor job 22%

Thinking about Israel and the United Nations, overall do you think the United Nations treats Israel fairly or unfairly?

• Very fairly 6%
• Somewhat fairly 37%
• Somewhat unfairly 32%
• Not at all fairly 25%

As you may know, Palestinian leaders have said that they will ask the United Nations this September to recognize an independent Palestinian state. If such a vote takes place, do you think the United States should vote for or against recognizing an independent Palestinian state?

• Vote for recognizing an independent Palestinian state 34%
• Vote against recognizing an independent Palestinian state 47%

As you may know, on a few occasions during the past 10 years, Israeli, Palestinian, and American negotiators came close to reaching a final status peace agreement but ultimately fell short. The details of that agreement include:

• A demilitarized Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
• Internationally recognized borders based on the borders that existed in 1967, with mutually agreed land swaps that allow for most Jewish settlers in the West Bank to be inside Israel while the Palestinians get comparable land areas in return.
• Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem become part of the new Palestinian state while Israel retains control of Jewish neighborhoods and the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
• International forces to monitor the new Palestinian state and border crossings.
• Financial compensation for Palestinian refugees while allowing some refugees to return to Israel if they meet specific family reunification criteria and the Israeli government approves.

Overall, do you support or oppose such an agreement?

• Strongly support 13%
• Somewhat support 44%
• Somewhat oppose 27%
• Strongly oppose 16%

As you may know, there have been flotillas organized to disrupt Israel's blockade of the Gaza port and bring different materials to Palestinians living in Gaza.

The Israeli government says its blockade of Gaza is legal and justified by security concerns, primarily stopping Hamas from smuggling rockets and weapons into Gaza from Iran. It says the flotilla must be stopped, and that the boats' food, medicine and other aid will be delivered to Gaza if it is first brought to an Israeli port for security inspection.

The flotilla supporters say their work is the modern-day equivalent of the Freedom Rides in the South in the 1960s, exposing the injustice and suffering imposed by Israel on Palestinians living in Gaza. They say that Israel's blockade is illegal and that only international pressure like these flotillas will force Israel to improve life for ordinary Palestinians in Gaza.

Do you think Israel should allow the flotilla to reach Gaza or do you think Israel should prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza?

• Allow the flotilla to reach Gaza 22%
• Prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza 78%

Do you belong to a synagogue or temple?

• Yes 39%
• No 61%

How often, do you attend formal religious services?

• Every week 11%
• Once or twice a month 11%
• A few times a year 30%
• Hardly ever 31%
• Never 17%

Have you ever traveled to Israel?

• Yes 35%
• No 65%

How would you describe your Jewish denomination?

• Reform 34%
• Conservative 27%
• Unaffiliated 27%
• Orthodox 9%
• Reconstructionist 1%

What is the last year of schooling that you have completed?

• College graduate 38%
• Post-graduate school 32%
• Some college 23%
• High School graduate 6%
• Non-college post H.S. 1%
• 1-11th grade 0%

Survey of 800 Jewish Americans was conducted July 7-12, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points. Party ID breakdown: 59% Democrat; 14% Republican; 27% Independent. Political ideology: Liberal 32%; Progressive 13%; Moderate 32%; Conservative 23%.