Soccer Dad

Israel and american public opinion

From Rasmussen Reports

A week into the renewed violence between Israel and Lebanon triggered by the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers, 56% of Americans say that Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah is to blame for the conflict. Just 18% place the blame on the government of Lebanon and 12% say Israel. Men and Republicans are more likely than women and Democrats to blame Hezbollah.

. . .

A plurality of 46% say protecting Israel's right to exist is more important than securing an immediate ceasefire. Again, men (55%) and Republicans (62%) are more likely than women (37%) and Democrats (36%) to say protecting Israel should be the priority.

The Democracy Project observes

This poll may also be something to remember at the New York Times and TV networks who focus on bemoaning casualties in Lebanon, by and among those who harbor terrorists.

Right Wing News concludes that this reflects the American sense that Israel is in the right

When the American people think Israel is not the party to blame for the fighting by a more than 6 to 1 margin and they are killing terrorists with American blood on their hands, it's not exactly a tough political call for an American politician to support Israel right now.

(via RCP blog) On the Left, Tapped sees support for Israel more nefariously

Here's the roll call for today's House resolution on the Mideast crisis. What Israel lobby?

Commenter Laura gets in a good rebuttal to a statement by Nancy Pelosi.

The bottom line is that the media and the Left don't see that support for Israel is possible unless there's some ulterior motive. Or undue pressure. That reticence to see Israel as the good guy in the Middle East puts these groups at odds with most Americans. (I suspect that American support for Israel would be even greater, if it weren't for the distortions of the media.)

Kevin Drum recently addressed why the liberal blogosphere doesn't concern itself with the Middle East that much. His reasons are mostly dodges in which he overcomplicates the situation.

For example he makes mention of Shebaa Farms. Shebaa Farms was captured by Israel from Syria in 1967. When Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, Syria effectively deeded Shebaa Farms to Lebanon so that Hezbollah would still have a pretext to attack Israel. Syria took this action despite the UN certification that Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon. And of course the UN (and much of the world) did nothing when, a few months later, Hezbollah violated the newly certified border. Shebaa Farms is emblematic of the shifting standards that allow Arab terror against Israel but demand that Israel be completely pure when striking back causing no collateral damage. Drum just dismisses Shebaa farms as too complicated.

In the Middle East Israel may not be perfect. But it is the good guy. Most Americans appreciate that.

Technorati tags: Israel, Public Opinion.