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J StreetNational Jewish Survey

June 2015

FigureGBA Strategies – June 2015 Jewish National Survey

Methodology

• National survey of 1,000 Jewish adults; margin of error +/- 3.1 percent, conducted May 31-June 3, 2015

• National survey administered by email invitation to web-based panel of 900,000 Americans; respondents re-screened as Jewish at beginning of questionnaire in order to be eligible for the study

• Demographic data closely aligns with the demographic data in the 2013 Pew Jewish National Survey

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Key Findings

• Iran is not a high priority issue, but most Jews have been following the nuclear negotiations.

• Jews express strong support for an agreement with Iran that increases inspections in exchange for economic sanctions relief.– Jewish support is higher than support among the general U.S. population.

• Jewish support grows further when provided more details about a final agreement.

• Jews have extraordinarily negative opinion of the Republican Party and key leaders. While Netanyahu’s Congressional speech injected partisanship into the Iran debate, this undermines those who want to rally American Jews to oppose an agreement.

• Support for a 2-state solution and the U.S. playing an active role to help resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict remains solid.

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Political Environment

3


Negative Mood Persists

10

36

54

41 44

34

55

4339

90

64

46

59 56

66

45

5761

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

June 2008 June 2009 June 2010 June 2011 June 2012 June 2013 June 2014 June 2015

Right Direction Wrong Track

Generally speaking, do you think that things in this country are going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track?

4


Majority Approve of President Obama While HoldingVery Negative Views of Congress

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?

And what about Congress – do you approve or disapprove of the job Congress is doing?

5

56

44

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Approve Disapprove

21

79

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Approve Disapprove


Obama, Clinton, and Democratic Party Rated Much More Favorably Than Republicans

48 48 46

2013 9 7

47

41 40 39

68 64 6253

27

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

BarackObama

HillaryClinton

TheDemocratic

Party

TheRepublican

Party

JebBush

JohnBoehner

MitchMcConnell

BenjaminNetanyahu

Favorability Ratings

Favorable Unfavorable

6


Hillary Clinton Holds Large Lead Over Jeb Bush

64 68

26 30

10 20

102030405060708090

100

Vote Allocated* Vote

Hillary Clinton Jeb Bush Undecided

It is a very long way off, but thinking about the election for president in 2016, if the election were held today and the candidates were Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Jeb Bush, for whom would you vote?

7

*Undecided voters allocated by which candidate they rated more favorably – if still tied, then by party identification


Iran Nuclear Negotiations

8


Economy and ISIS Seen As Top Priorities;Few People Prioritize Israel and Iran

2333

7899

1218

27

6778

1417

2122

2529

45

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Iran

Israel

Immigration

Taxes

The environment

Education

Social Security and Medicare

Health care

The deficit and government spending

ISIS

The economy

Most Important

Combined Most /2nd Most Important

Below is a list of concerns that people have. Which one of these do you think President Obama and Congress should make their most important priority / second most important priority?

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Jews Are Paying Attention to Iran Negotiations,Unchanged From November 2014

22

45

25

916

48

30

60

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

A great deal ofinformation

Some information Not much information No information at all

June 2015 November 2014

As you may know, the United States, Britain, Germany, France, China, and Russia last year reached a first step agreement with Iran to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for modest relief from sanctions. How much have you heard about this agreement?

10


Majority of Jews Favor an Agreement,Higher Levels of Support Than the General Public

5953

41 43

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

J Street -June 2015

Jewish VotersNationwide

CNN/ORC -April 2015

Adults Nationwide

Favor Oppose

As you may know, the U.S. and other countries have imposed strict economic sanctions against Iran while that country has nuclear facilities which could eventually allow it to produce its own nuclear weapons.

Do you favor or oppose an agreement that would ease some of those economic sanctions and, in exchange, require Iran to accept major restrictions on its nuclear program, but not end it completely, and submit to greater international inspection of its nuclear facilities?

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Agreement Support by Denomination, Party ID, and Age

63 6155

47

69

39 41

68

5851

37 3945

53

31

61 59

32

4249

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Reform NoParticularDenom.

Con-servative

Orthodox Dem. Ind. Rep. UnderAge 40

Age40 to 64

Age 65+

Favor Oppose

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When Provided More Details, Support Grows

26

78

8

22

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Support OpposeStrongly support Total SupportStrongly oppose Total Oppose

Now, imagine that the U.S., Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia, and Iran reach a final agreement that places significant limits on Iran's nuclear program to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The agreement imposes intrusive inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities by international nuclear experts, and it caps the level at which Iran can enrich uranium to far below what is necessary to make a nuclear weapon. In exchange for limiting its nuclear program and agreeing to intrusive inspections, Iran would receive phased relief from U.S. and international economic sanctions, as Iran complies with the terms of the agreement.

Would you support or oppose this agreement?

13


Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

14


Overwhelming Support for the U.S. Playing an Active Role in Resolving the Arab-Israeli Conflict

37

84

416

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Support OpposeStrongly Support Total Support Strongly Oppose Total Oppose

Now, something different. Do you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict?

15


Support for Public Disagreement With Both Parties; Opposition When Israel Is Singled Out

(SPLIT) Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States publicly stating its disagreements with both the Israelis and the Arabs?

(SPLIT) Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States publicly stating its disagreements withIsrael?

16

24

70

7

30

0102030405060708090

100

Support OpposeStrongly Support Total Support

16

46

32

54

0102030405060708090

100

Support OpposeStrongly Oppose Total Oppose


Support for Exerting Pressure on Both Parties; Opposition When Israel Is Singled Out

(SPLIT) Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States exerting pressure on both the Israelis and Arabs to make the compromises necessary to achieve peace?

(SPLIT) Would you support or oppose the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict if it meant the United States exerting pressure on Israel to make the compromises necessary to achieve peace?

17

24

69

8

31

0102030405060708090

100

Support OpposeStrongly Support Total Support

12

44

24

56

0102030405060708090

100

Support OpposeStrongly Oppose Total Oppose


Broad Agreement on a Two-State Solution

67

67

65

72

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

A two-state solution is an important national securityinterest for the United States.

A two-state solution is necessary to strengthenIsraeli security and ensure Israel's Jewish

democratic character

(SPLIT) I support a two-state solution that declaresan end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, resulting in

all Arab countries establishing full diplomatic tieswith Israel and creating an independent Palestinian

state in the West Bank, Gaza, with its c

(SPLIT) I support a two-state solution that declaresan end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, resulting in

all Arab countries establishing full diplomatic tieswith Israel and creating an independent Palestinian

state in the West Bank and Gaza.

Below are some statements about a two-state solution, and for each statement, please mark whether you agree or disagree with that statement.

18

(SPLIT) I support a two-state solution that declares an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, resulting in all Arab countries establishing full diplomatic ties with

Israel and creating an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.

(SPLIT) I support a two-state solution that declares an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, resulting in all Arab

countries establishing full diplomatic ties with Israel and creating an independent Palestinian state in the West

Bank and Gaza.

A two-state solution is an important national security interest for the United States.

A two-state solution is necessary to strengthen Israeli security and ensure Israel's Jewish democratic

character.


U.S.-Israel Relations

19


Obama Criticism of Netanyahu Campaign Video Is Acceptable to Majority of Jews

18

56

19

44

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Acceptable UnacceptableVery Acceptable Total AcceptableVery Unacceptable Total Unacceptable

As you may know, President Obama has said that Prime Minister Netanyahu's policies to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank are harmful for reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians, and Obama was critical of Netanyahu's recent campaign video that called on Netanyahu's voters to turn out because "the Arabs were going to the polls in droves."

Do you think it is acceptable or unacceptable for President Obama to make statements that are critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu's policies?

20


Jews Believe Obama Supports Israel

20

57

19

43

0102030405060708090

100

1st Statement 2nd Statement

Total 2nd Statement 2nd Statement StronglyTotal 1st Statement 1st Statement Strongly

Below are two statements by supporters and opponents of President Obama's approach to Israel. Please indicate which of these two statements comes closer to your own point of view, even if you do not fully agree with it.

Supporters of President Obama say that the President has repeatedly demonstrated his support for the state and the people of Israel. His administration has led unprecedented military and security cooperation between the United States and Israel. It is completely appropriate for President Obama to express disagreements over policy with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and it is inaccurate for critics to claim that Obama doesn't support Israel when he questions policies such as expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Opponents say that President Obama repeatedly and unfairly undermines Israel's interests and does not sufficiently support the Jewish state. He has gone too far in his criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his criticism sends the wrong message to Israel's enemies. With all the other bad actors in the region, it is not appropriate for the President to focus such attention on the Prime Minister who is the legitimately elected leader of his country.

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