The American Public and Israel in the Twenty-First Century Eytan Gilboa Mideast Security and Policy Studies No. 181 THE BEGIN-SADAT CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY Mideast Security and Policy Studies No. 181 The American Public and Israel in the Twenty-First Century Eytan Gilboa The American Public and Israel in the Twenty-First Century Eytan Gilboa © The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies Bar-Ilan University Ramat Gan 5290002 Israel Tel. 972-3-5318959 Fax. 972-3-5359195 [email protected] www.besacenter.org ISSN 0793-1042 October 2020 Cover image: Sheri Hooley via Unsplash The Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies is an independent, non-partisan think tank conducting policy-relevant research on Middle Eastern and global strategic affairs, particularly as they relate to the national security and foreign policy of Israel and regional peace and stability. It is named in memory of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat, whose efforts in pursuing peace laid the cornerstone for conflict resolution in the Middle East. Mideast Security and Policy Studies serve as a forum for publication or re-publication of research conducted by BESA associates. Publication of a work by BESA signifies that it is deemed worthy of public consideration but does not imply endorsement of the author’s views or conclusions. Colloquia on Strategy and Diplomacy summarize the papers delivered at conferences and seminars held by the Center for the academic, military, official and general publics. In sponsoring these discussions, the BESA Center aims to stimulate public debate on, and consideration of, contending approaches to problems of peace and war in the Middle East. The Policy Memorandum series consists of policy- oriented papers. The content of the publications reflects the views of the authors only. A list of recent BESA Center publications can be found at the end of this booklet. International Advisory Board Founder of the Center and Chairman of the Advisory Board: Dr. Thomas O. Hecht Vice Chairman: Mr. Saul Koschitzky Members: Ms. Marion Hecht, Mr. Robert Hecht, Prof. Riva Heft-Hecht, Hon. Shlomo Hillel, Mr. Joel Koschitzky, Amb. Yitzhak Levanon, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, Mr. Robert K. Lifton, Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney, Mr. Seymour D. Reich, Mr. Greg Rosshandler, Amb. Zalman Shoval, Amb. Norman Spector, Ms. Drorit Wertheim International Academic Advisory Board Prof. Ian Beckett University of Kent, Dr. Eliot A. Cohen Johns Hopkins University, Prof. Irwin Cotler McGill University, Prof. Steven R. David Johns Hopkins University, Prof. Lawrence Freedman King’s College, Prof. Patrick James University of Southern California, Prof. Robert J. Lieber Georgetown University, Prof. Michael Mandelbaum Johns Hopkins University Research Staff BESA Center Director: Prof. Efraim Karsh Research Associates: Mr. Emil Avdaliani Dr. Efrat Aviv, Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Shaul Bartal, Mr. Edwin Black, Dr. Yael Bloch-Elkon, Col (Res.) Dr. Raphael G. Bouchnik-Chen, Brig. Gen. (res.) Moni Chorev, Dr. Edy Cohen, Dr. James Dorsey, Dr. Gil Feiler, Prof. Jonathan Fox, Prof. Hillel Frisch, Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld, Prof. Eytan Gilboa, Dr. Gabriel Glickman, Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen, Col. (res.) Aby Har-Even, Eado Hecht, Dr. Tsilla Hershco, Dr. Doron Itzchakov, Dr. Alex Joffe, Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Mr. Yaakov Lappin, Prof. Udi Lebel, Dr. Alon Levkowitz, Prof. Ze’ev Maghen, Dr. Mark Meirowitz, Ambassador Arye Mekel, Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Raphael Ofek, Mr. Amir Rapaport, Dr. Asaf Romirowsky, Col. (res.) Dr. Uzi Rubin, Dr. Jonathan Rynhold, Prof. Shmuel Sandler, Dr. Yechiel Shabiy, Dr. Eitan Shamir, Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Dany Shoham, Prof. Shlomo Shpiro, Dr. Max Singer, Prof. Joshua Teitelbaum, Dr. George N. Tzogopoulos, Dr. Jiri Valenta, Dr. Albert Wolf. Program Coordinator: Alona Briner Publications Editor (English): Judith Levy The American Public and Israel in the Twenty-First Century Eytan Gilboa Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................... 7 Introduction ........................................................................................ 9 The Milieu of Opinion Formation .................................................. 14 Leaders .......................................................................................... 14 Events ............................................................................................ 17 Terrorism .................................................................................. 20 Views of Israel .................................................................................. 23 Favorability .................................................................................. 23 US Ally ........................................................................................... 25 Support and Military Aid ............................................................ 31 The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict ................................................... 37 Comparative Favorability ........................................................39 Comparative Sympathies ....................................................... 41 Palestinian State ..................................................................... 44 The Iran Nuclear Deal ..................................................................... 50 Threat Perception .................................................................. 51 Views of the Deal .................................................................... 54 The Role of Congress .............................................................. 57 Socio-Demographic Dimensions ............................................... 61 Republicans vs. Democrats ....................................................... 61 American Jews ........................................................................ 68 Evangelical Christians .............................................................. 80 Socio-Demographics .............................................................. 90 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 95 Notes ................................................................................................ 108 Bibliography .................................................................................... 131 List of Figures 1. Israeli Prime Ministers and American Presidents, 2000-2020 ...15 2. Views of Israel, 2000-2020 ...................................................... 24 3. Favorability Opinions and Perceived Importance of Nations, 2007 .................................................................................. 30 4. Views of Israel vs. the Palestinian Authority, 2000-2020 ....... 40 5. Sympathy with Israelis vs. Palestinians, 2001-2020 ................ 42 6. Establishment of a Palestinian State, 2000-2020 ................... 46 7. Viewing Israel Favorably by Party and Ideology, 2001-2019 ... 62 8. Sympathy with Israelis vs. Palestinians by Party, 2001-2020 .... 63 9. Establishment of a Palestinian State by Party, 2000-2020 .... 66 10. American Jews: Caring About Israel, 2000-2019 .................... 75 11. Establishment of a Palestinian State: Total, Democrats, and American Jews, 2002-2019 ...................................................... 77 List of Tables 1. Israel: US Ally, 2000-2019 ...................................................... 27 2. Support for Israel, 2001-2019 ................................................ 32 3. US Military Aid to Israel, 2001-2014 ...................................... 35 4. Iran’s Threat, 2015-2019 ......................................................... 53 5. Approval of Iran’s Nuclear Deal, 2015-2018 ........................... 55 6. Confidence in Iran’s Compliance, 2013-2015 ......................... 56 7. Views of Iran’s Nuclear Deal by Party ................................... 67 8. American Jewish Voting in Presidential Elections ................ 71 9. Attachment of American Jews to Israel By Socio- Demographic Group, 2019 ..................................................... 73 10. Arab Goals Toward Israel, 2000-2015 ................................... 78 11. Sympathies in the Mideast Situation by Religious Denomination, 2016 ............................................................. 83 12. Sympathies in the Mideast Situation by Religious Identification, Political Affiliation, and Church Attendance, 2001-2014 ............................................................................ 85 13. Evangelical View of Israel by Socio-Demographic Group, 2017 .. 87 14. Evangelical Support for Israel by Age, 2017 ......................... 89 15. Israel Favorability, Sympathies with Israelis vs. Palestinians, Support for a Palestinian State by Group, 2020 ................... 91 16. Ethnic Groups in the American Population, 2000-2050 ...... 99 List of Abbreviations AJC American Jewish Committee AIPAC American Israel Public Affairs Committee BESA Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies BDS Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions EU European Union JCAP Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action JCPA Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency IDF Israel Defense Forces MEQ Middle East Quartet NGO Non-Governmental Organizations NPT Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons PA Palestinian Authority PLO Palestine Liberation Organization PS Palestinian State PM Prime Minister UAE United Arab Emirates UK United Kingdom UN United Nations