Survey: Jewish support for Obama on decline

According to the survey, which included 800 respondents, if the 2012 presidential elections were held today, Obama would still hold a considerable lead over potential Republican challengers among Jewish voters. But the margin differed significantly depending on which candidate the GOP fields.



When asked about Obama’s handling of US-Israel relations, 40% of respondents gave their approval, with another 53% disapproving and 7% undecided. A year ago, 49% of respondents approved and another 45% disapproved of the president's policy vis-à-vis the Jewish State.



In contrast, approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of Israel-US relations dropped to 54%, compared with 62% approval last year.



In general, 63% of American Jews characterize US-Israel relations as positive, compared with 68% in 2010.


Less optimism for lasting peace

As part of the survey, respondents were also asked about their prospect for a lasting peace between Israel and the Arabs.



Less than 3% of respondents said they were “more optimistic” about the peace prospects now than they had been one year ago, compared with 8% feeling “more optimistic” in last year’s survey.



This year, 35% of respondents said their outlook has become “less optimistic”, compared to 18% in 2010.



Support for a Palestinian state among American Jews has also declined in the past year. According to the survey, in the current situation, 38% would favor and 55% would oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, compared with 48% in favor and 45% opposed in 2010.



On a related question concerning Palestinian efforts to unilaterally seek recognition of statehood without an agreement with Israel, only 9% approved of this strategy, while 88% disapproved.



Unsurprisingly, support for requiring the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state is strong, with 95% saying they should be required to do so in a final peace agreement.



When asked about US aid to the Palestinian Authority, 73% of respondents said they would support the US Congress withdrawing assistance if the PA and Hamas form a unity government, while 21% said they would oppose the move.



Regarding Iran, 43% approved Obama's handling of the Iran nuclear issue, while 45% disapproved – a similar finding to the 2010 survey.