
 
 
A majority of  Americans support Israel and blame Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA) for  the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, according to a new poll  commissioned by The Israel Project.
Americans blame the PA for the  current conflict in Gaza (56 percent to 18 percent) and “Hamas leaders who  control Gaza” for the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza (66 percent to 17  percent), the Public Opinion Strategies and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research  poll of registered voters revealed.
Nearly half of Americans say they  have seen, read or heard “a lot” about the military conflict in Gaza Strip, and  sided with Israel’s anti-terror efforts over the PA by a 57 percent to 8 percent  margin. The figures are virtually unchanged from pre-Gaza War polling in  November 2008 (57 percent to 6 percent).
“Americans accept Israel’s  justification for acting in Gaza because they accept Israel’s stated obligation  to defend the safety of its citizens and the understanding that no country would  allow rockets to fall on its citizens without taking action,” said Greenberg  Quinlan Rosner Research Dr. Stanley Greenberg.
Polled voters said they  believe the Israeli-PA conflict is about ideology and religion (73 percent), and  peace can only be achieved by acknowledging each other’s right to exist. Only 19  percent said they thought the conflict is really about land.
Americans  also faired well when polled on their knowledge. Close to two-thirds of  Americans knew that Israel withdrew all its troops and settlers from Gaza three  years ago and that PA and Hamas terrorists have been regularly shooting rockets  into Israel for years. A full 46 percent of Americans correctly identify Iran as  a main supporter of Hamas’ terror activities.
Middle East peace can be  achieved by getting the PA to stop shooting rockets into Israel (91 percent),  getting the PA to stop teaching hate (90 percent), stopping Iran from arming,  funding and training terrorists (87 percent), and getting Iran to stop its  nuclear program (76 percent), said responders. In addition, stopping military  incursions into Gaza (53 percent), opening all Gaza borders to the free flow of  goods and services (55 percent), or stopping settlement expansion and giving up  land to the PA (54 percent) are not necessary for achieving  peace.
Despite tremendous domestic issues, nearly two-thirds of Americans  believe their country must still work hard to bring peace to the Middle East and  stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons (80 percent). 
"Even in this time  of war, while Americans are being confronted with difficult images and reports  from Gaza, they remain supportive of Israel and concerned about the threat of  Iran," said Neil Newhouse of Public Opinion Strategies.