(Week of 11/17/2012) Americans who take a side in the latest outbreak of violence between Israel and Palestinians choose Israel, blaming the Palestinians over Israel by a margin of five to one. But in the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, over one in three Americans spread the blame, saying both Israel and Palestinians are at fault.
Younger adults, Democrats, and those in the Northeast are much more likely to blame both sides for the violence. Older adults and Republicans overwhelmingly blame the Palestinians alone.
But Israel is not immune to the public’s desire to cut foreign aid. 37% want to decrease foreign aid to Israel, over twice as many as would increase it. Republicans are equally likely to favor a decrease in aid to Israel as to support increasing aid.
Israel is still a special case. Even more Americans would cut aid to other countries in and near the Middle East, including those the United States has sent troops to — Iraq and Afghanistan. Two out of three would reduce foreign aid to Iraq and to Pakistan. Fewer than ten percent would increase aid to those countries.
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here
Photo source: Press Association
