Support for Arabs plummets in America, opinion poll finds

Ha'aretz ^ | Dec. 26, 2001 | Nitzan Horowitz

[Alouette]

Levels of support among Americans for moderate Arab states and Washington's Arab allies have dropped to an all-time low, according to new survey by Zogby International. Arab American groups have called the results "shocking," saying that the figures show a dramatic shift in Americans' attitude toward the Arab world.

Only 10 percent of Americans view the Palestinian Authority favorably, compared to a huge 72 percent that are totally unsympathetic toward the PA, according to a recent comprehensive poll in the U.S. on Washington's attitude toward the Middle East and the Israeli-Arab conflict.

The lowest ever level of support was recorded for Egpyt and Saudi Arabia. Only 24 percent of those asked saw Saudi Arabia in a positive light, while 58 percent held negative views about the kingdom.

Israel, in complete contrast, prompted the opposite response, with 59 percent of Americans expressing positive opinions on Israel, compared to 28 percent who held negative views.

A closer look at the Zogby poll on the Middle East shows that there has been little change in U.S. attitude toward Israel since the start of the Oslo peace process: 61 percent support in 1993 compared to 59 percent today. Following the September 11 attacks, the October poll recorded a 68 percent support rate for Israel, which has since declined, returning to its 60 percent average. The percentage of those who view Israel negatively, however, has risen since October from 14 percent to the current 28 percent.

American public opinion toward the Arab world has undergone a complete turnabout: In 1993, some 64 percent of respondents expressed a favorable opinion of Egypt, compared to just 38 percent today. The months of October and November saw the sharpest drop. Saudia Arabia has never won many hearts and minds in the U.S., but support has plummeted from 56 percent at the start of 2001 to just 24 percent currently.

The respondents were given a list of countries and asked which they considered to be good or bad allies of the U.S. Some 52 percent responded that Israel was a very good or generally good ally of Washington, with just 28 percent giving the same answer for Egypt and 22 percent for Saudia Arabia.

In October, respondents explained their negative attitude to the Arab states because of their "relations with terrorists," that "one can't know what their position is," and because "they can't be trusted."

There has not however been a significant change in the American public's attitude toward the Israeli-Arab conflict since the September attacks, with 61 percent of respondents saying that the Israelis and Palestinians were equally to blame. There was however a slight fall in the percentage of those who see Israel as solely responsible for the conflict, dropping from 6 percent three years ago to just 4 percent currently. The number of respondents who believe the Palestinians are to blame rose more sharply from 9 percent in 1998, to 24 percent today.

The Arab lobby in Washington is blaming the "anti-Arab propaganda campaign" that has been waged since the September 11 attacks for the shift in attitude.

James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute and brother of the editor of the survey, John Zogby, said that "what the results show is that a tremendous task confronts those who value the relationship and the pursuit of Middle East peace ... The downward slide can be arrested and reversed, but it will require a concerted effort."

Zogby blamed a "steady diet of anti-Arab information" for the swing in public opinion, saying that "those who are seeking to disrupt and discredit the relationship are working overtime."

"Work must be done and it should begin before more damage occurs," he stressed.

[Lent]

Only 10 percent of Americans view the Palestinian Authority favorably, compared to a huge 72 percent that are totally unsympathetic toward the PA, according to a recent comprehensive poll in the U.S. on Washington's attitude toward the Middle East and the Israeli-Arab conflict.

I wonder why?

We all saw how Yassir Arafat - THE father of world terrorism, spoke about how bad he felt over the greatest terror attack in the history of humanity - but we also saw how his people, the Palestinains, drunk on their "victory" in Durban, South Africa, went dancing in the streets, giving out sweets, and shooting in the air, to show how happy they were.

The Palestinains wern't alone, as the article we bring below from Egypt tells us...

On the other hand - reports in the Israeli media tell us of threats that were receievd by the foreign press agencies to destroy any and all pictures and videos taken of these celebrations. That is why you will only see pictures from East Jerusalem and Lebanon below.

GAMLA will do it's best to bring more of these picture from the other cities, Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron, Tul Karem and more of the huge celebrations that went on there last night.

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE	Celebrations in East Jerusalem
Celebrations in Lebanon

[nocommies]

amen! its their own oppressive mentalities that have held their progress back, and they have taken a back seat to the united states as an innovation and economic development leader. screw them, we dont owe anybody anything! im bloody sick of hearing how we need to help everyone and we should feel guilty about our successes.

[Walkin Man]

Islam love and peace update: Egypt destroys new Christian Coptic Church 12/19/01

Christians terrorized by Laskar Jihad 12/17/01

ISLAMIC NATIONS SLAUGHTER, ENSLAVE CHRISTIANS 12/16/01

Muslims Press for Nuclear Destruction of Israel 12/19/01

The Ugly Face of Militant Islam 12/19/01

Zogby blamed a "steady diet of anti-Arab information" for the swing in public opinion...

The TRUTH about Islam = "anti-Arab information".

[LibertarianLiz]

Zogby blamed a "steady diet of anti-Arab information" for the swing in public opinion, saying that "those who are seeking to disrupt and discredit the relationship are working overtime."

"Work must be done and it should begin before more damage occurs," he stressed.

Yeah, the "steady diet" he is referring to must be the images of planes being flown into our buildings killing thousands of our citizens. How dare we be so "anti-Arab" by showing these images. Or, by reporting that 13 of the 15 hijackers were from a country considered to be our ally -- Saudi Arabia.

People aren't working to "discredit" our relationship with Arab states. The Arabs are doing a marvelous job of that all by themselves. When citizens from the Arab states begin to behave less like barbarians and more like civilized people, then maybe the poll numbers will begin to rise again. This is not! our fault. This problem lies with the Middle Eastern states themselves and cannot be resolved until they decide that they will live side-by-side with their neighbors around the world, in a peaceful and law-abiding way. Until then, Zogby can go pound sand.

[nocommies]

100% correct!! THANK YOU!!

[monkeyshine]

Clever diversion. But what is utterly worthless is your protestation, since the article atop this thread proves that the allegation you lay at the feet of the "Israeli First" crowd has already been accomplished across America, by the actions of those roque Arab terrorists and their lackies in the Arab governments.

I didn't need to go to Harvard to figure that out, pilgrim.

[NativeNewYorker]

it's the resounding silence from the Arab community, here and abroad

Yes, this is the Holmesian "dog that didn't bark".

The *global* Arab street has been devoid of any ANTI-terror, ANTI-Taliban demos.

PC editors will always find some guy in a sheet to mouth soothing platitudes, but the overwhelming popular sentiment among rank-and-file Arabs/Moslems couldn't be more clear. They want infidels -- cultural or religious -- dead. The notion of peacefully allowing others to live is anathema to them.

If self-defense is the primary human civil right, we have every right to kill as many of these savages as need be, until they renounce the massacres of innocents.

[nocommies]

like all liberals, zogby doesnt think, he "feels"

[Lent]

Could be Astonished or Kudzu, could be Harvard Skunk...

[wardaddy]

Nailed it!!!!

[MadEagle]

The only bright spot is to see those morons firing in the air, and to hope that several bullets eliminate some of them from the gene pool.

[xJones]

Stop the guilt, please.

Did you ever misunderstand me. I should have put on a sarcasm off symbol.

Did you ever hear about the Marine Corps officer who announced in the South Pacific during WWII, "Men, it is the duty of every Japanese to die for their empiror, and it is our duty to help them do so!"

Read better the next time.

[Mark17]

"Support for Arabs plummets in America"

Support is still too high. It should be lower.

[estrogen]

Take the oil out of the equation and then see the real results.

Exactly, and makes me furious that we are still discussing ANWR. This is a no brainer, there is no rationale not to drill there. We better get our heads screwed on straight and start being more energy self sufficient.

[OldFriend]

And when you consider the poll was done by Zogby it makes the results all the more interesting. He does have a way with the special sauce to elicit the answers he desires.

[KC_for_Freedom]

People aren't working to "discredit" our relationship with Arab states. The Arabs are doing a marvelous job of that all by themselves. When citizens from the Arab states begin to behave less like barbarians and more like civilized people, then maybe the poll numbers will begin to rise again. This is not! our fault. This problem lies with the Middle Eastern states themselves and cannot be resolved until they decide that they will live side-by-side with their neighbors around the world, in a peaceful and law-abiding way. Until then, Zogby can go pound sand.

Well said! The Islamic religion seems to be part bully, and part coward. The bullies blow up planes, dance halls, and buildings of non-combatants and the cowards sit by and don't condemn these actions or do anything to stop them.

To turn the tide of anti-Islamic opinion, all that we need to see is the "good" muslim turning in the "bad" muslim in the name of doing what is right. (The unibomber's brother turned him in, lets get with the program Zogby.)

[Asuryan]

The Zogby making that statement was James Zogby not John Zogby. Brothers but not the same person. I suspect that John might have some of the same feelings but would be silent for professional reasons.

Don't you think the Arabs should reconsider their "policies" in the same way they admonished us to change our policies?

The Palestinians put little children into suicide bomber costumes. I think seeing that photo is good for quite a large point drop. Americans recoil in disgust from those images. They really need to engage Americans in a positive way.

[KC_Conspirator]

. They do need to grow up from their medievial culture, and we must help them do so, no matter what.

Thats funny that you mention that. Go into any academic setting and you will find professors talk and talk about the dark ages of europe and how Christianity was exclusive. They will point out how it gave special privelages to the cleric class, how it denied education to the average person, how it forcefully converted people, how it discouraged science in order to preserve its own power, and how it excluded undesirables like women in the church.

Yet when you suggest that Islam today is going through the same type of period (which it is) the professors go ape$hit defending Islam to the point of outright hypocrisy. Such is the world of leftist PC.

[monkeyshine]

Don't you think the Arabs should reconsider their "policies" in the same way they admonished us to change our policies?

OF COURSE! Look, the USA came out and made it official policy to support the creation of a Palestinian state. What quid pro quo did we get in return? Did the Saudis apologize for invading Israel, or state that they too support the creation of the Jewish state? NO. They did nothing of the kind. They continued their propeganda and demanded that we not attack any Arab state in the war on terror. 15 Saudis attacked us, and they pointed their fingers at Afganistan. It doesn't wash in this household.