Regarding U.S. policies in the Middle East, 25% say the U.S. gives Israel too much support, 23% say too little, and 22% say it is the right amount of support—while 30% are not sure. As peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians stumble forward, just 7% believe the Obama Administration’s efforts are having a positive effect on efforts to reach an agreement to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while three times that number (22%) say this Administration’s effect is negative. Most say the Administration’s role has no effect (42%) right now, according to the Economist/YouGov poll of 1000 adults nationwide, conducted May 14-17, 2011.
One key element in the negotiations has to do with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza strip. One-in-three (36%) of Americans favor that, more than the number who oppose it (24%)—although at the extremes of U.S. opinion, as many strongly oppose (14%) as strongly favor (15%) establishment of an independent Palestine. The plurality of Americans (41%) are not sure.
Full datasets for Economist/YouGov polls can be found here.
Photo source: Press Association
