Predicting Support for Palestinians Among Jewish Americans: The Importance of Education and Contact

Background: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to cause devastating humanitarian consequences for Palestinian populations in the Middle East, 30% of whom are youth (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2015). Jewish Americans play a role in influencing U.S. foreign policy and promoting human rights for Palestinians (Sasson 2010; Shain, 2002).  Thus, attitudes that Jewish Americans hold about Palestinians are important to understand for social workers involved in human rights work (Gordon, 2009) and peace education (Grodofsky, 2012). This is especially true given the important role of diaspora populations in international peace processes (Cochrane, Baser, & Swain, 2009).

Methods:

Data was collected using an online internet survey, “Jewish Americans' Opinions about the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict 2014,” that was distributed through Jewish list serves such as Jewish schools and social networking sites to college students and community members using a snowball sampling methodology. The sample of 173 was 60% women, and nearly 70% were 30 years old or less. The outcome of interest, support for Palestinians, was measured with seven items (range of 1-7), alpha= .87, m= 4.98, describing respondents’ openness to engage with Palestinians and communicate across social difference. Independent variables included the number of classes taken on the Israel/Palestinian conflict, m= 2.86, (range of 1-5); political views, m= 2.71 (range 1-7); family attitudes toward Israel, m=5.92 (range 1-7); emotional attachment to Israel, m= 6.27 (range 1-7); childhood socialization experiences of Jewish camp, m=3.67 (range 1-5), Jewish youth group, m=3.50 (range 1-5), and Jewish supplementary school, m=4.31, (range 1-5). 43% of respondents reported having visited Palestinian cities in the West Bank.

Results

Multiple regression analysis indicated that age (β = -.36, p= .00), political views, (β = -.33, p= .00), courses taken about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (β = 20, p= .00), and having been to Palestinian cities in the West Bank (β = .07, p= .01) significantly predicted respondents’ support for Palestinians, with the model explaining 40% of the variance in the outcome of interest. Survey respondents who were younger in age, who identified as more liberal in their political outlooks, who had taken courses about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and who had been to the West Bank were significantly more likely to express support and solidarity with Palestinians. No differences were found for gender, Jewish camp, youth, and school experience, and emotional attachment to Israel or family attitudes about Israel.

Implication

Younger, more liberal Jewish Americans who have taken courses on the conflict and been to Palestinian cities may exhibit more concern and support for Palestinian human rights, despite the strong emphasis on Israel attachment in their Jewish socialization process, including their family views. Travel to the West Bank and education emerge as important contact variables to foster for international peace and human rights work. Implications for global social work practice include engaging younger, more educated populations in collaborative peace work.