Look at these numbers from a March 2015 Pew research poll closely. Overall, they state that Americans sympathize with Israel over the Palestinians. But drill down in the Democratic numbers and you see a different story.
Democrats sympathize with Israel over Palestinians– by just 57 to 54. That is a horse race, in one of our major political parties.
And now look at Liberal Dems: They sympathize with Palestinians over Israel by 68 to 60! That’s Obama’s and Hillary’s base, I remind you. These are the folks who will vote for Donna Edwards in Maryland.
Now consider the numbers for blacks, Hispanics, and the young. Israel wins all three groups: 50-47 among blacks; 45-34 for Hispanics; 54-46 among those under 30.
Yes, all those groups sympathize more with Israel than Palestinians. But the margins are very close. It just shows how fluid US politics are on this question; and as we approach the jubilee year of the occupation, those numbers can only go one way. This is why Peter Beinart said at J Street two weeks ago that the coming battle inside the pro-Israel establishment is not between liberal Zionists and AIPAC, but between liberal Zionists and the left. These numbers are why other polls show growing support for a one-state solution in Israel and Palestine, based on the radical principle, one person one vote.
– Read more: Liberal Democrats Sympathize with Palestinians over Israel by 68-60: Pew – Mondoweiss