Hamas leader disowns son who served as Israeli spy

PRESS RELEASE (WJC)–The jailed Hamas leader Sheik Hassan Yousef has disowned his eldest son after learning that he was a spy for Israel. Hassan Yousef, who has been held in an Israeli prison since 2005, said in a statement that he, along with other family members, disowned his oldest son Mosab, 32. The statement was reportedly smuggled out of his Israeli prison.

Mosab Yousef  was Israel’s most valuable source on Hamas for more than a decade . He converted to Christianity ten years ago and left the West Bank in 2007 for California, where he now resides.

His spying was reported last week by the Israeli daily Haaretz in advance of this week’s release of  ‘Son of Hamas’, a book written by Mosab Yousef and Rob Brackin. The son of Hassan Yousef reportedly was code-named “Green Prince” by the Mossad. His intervention is said to have led to the prevention of dozens of suicide bombing attacks and assassination attempts on Israeli officials, and the exposing of several terrorist cells.

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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress.

Islamic scholar issues global fatwa against terrorism

PRESS RELEASE(WJC)–An influential Muslim scholar has issued a global ruling against terrorism and suicide bombing.

Dr Tahir ul-Qadri, from Pakistan, says his 600-page judgement, known as a fatwa, completely dismantles al-Qaeda’s violent ideology.
 
The scholar describes al-Qaeda as an “old evil with a new name” that has not been sufficiently challenged.
 
The scholar’s movement is growing in the UK and has attracted the interest of policymakers and security chiefs.
 
In his religious ruling, delivered in London, Dr Qadri says that Islam forbids the massacre of innocent citizens and suicide bombings.
 
Although many scholars have made similar rulings in the past, Dr Qadri argued that his massive document goes much further by omitting “ifs and buts” added by other thinkers.
 
He said that it set out a point-by-point theological rebuttal of every argument used by al-Qaeda inspired recruiters.
 
The populist scholar developed his document last year as a response to the increase in bombings across Pakistan by militants.
 
‘Heroes of hellfire’
 
The basic text has been extended to 600 pages to cover global issues, in an attempt to get its theological arguments taken up by Muslims in Western nations. It will be promoted in the UK by Dr Qadri’s organisation, Minhaj ul-Quran International.
 
Dr Qadri spoke for more than hour to an audience of Muslims, clergy, MPs, police officers and other security officials.
 
“They [terrorists] can’t claim that their suicide bombings are martyrdom operations and that they become the heroes of the Muslim Umma [global brotherhood]. No, they become heroes of hellfire, and they are leading towards hellfire,” he said.
 
“There is no place for any martyrdom and their act is never, ever to be considered jihad.”
 
Acts of vengeance
 
The document is not the first to condemn terrorism and suicide bombing to be launched in the UK.
 
Scholars from across the UK came together in the wake of the 7 July London attacks to denounce the bombers and urge communities to root out extremists.
 
But some scholarly rulings in the Middle East have argued that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is an exceptional situation where “martyrdom” attacks can be justified.
 
Dr Qadri said he rejected that view saying there were no situations under which acts of vengeance, such as attacks on market places or commuter trains, could ever be considered a justifiable act of war.
 
Although Dr Qadri has many followers in Pakistan, Minhaj ul-Quran International remained largely unknown in the UK until relatively recently. It now has 10 mosques in cities with significant Muslim communities and says it is targeting younger generations it believes have been let down by traditional leaders. The organisation is attracting the attention of policymakers and security chiefs who are continuing to look for allies in the fight against extremists.
 
The Department for Communities, which runs most of the government’s Preventing Violent Extremism strategy, has tried building bridges with a variety of liberal-minded groups, but often found that they have limited actual influence at the grassroots.

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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress.

Musical values

By David Amos

SAN DIEGO–Are you a biased person? Do you discriminate against one in favor of another? “Of course not,” you say; “I make choices on a fair and equal basis.”

Maybe you are that way for matters of race, religion, sex, national origin, and such matters, but are you as totally unbiased in artistic and entertainment choices? I contend that to a lesser or larger extent, we are all prejudiced, and we practice it every day.

Does one kind of music have more “value” than other kinds of music? Does this apply to composers and/or interpreters? What is “bad,” what is “OK,” and what music is “Great?”

This is obviously a subject which touches at the very core of the debate on the virtues and failures or classical versus more popular kinds of music. There is enough material here for a series of thought-provoking lectures and discussions. I have talked to many people on this matter, and have gathered a variety of comments and insights which you might find perplexing and interesting. As you might expect, there is absolutely no consensus, and no two people think alike when analyzing what is quality in the arts, and in our case, specifically in music, even if we are only talking about classical music.

Let’s look at a few specific and vivid examples.

A year after Jacques Offenbach’s death in 1881, there was a devastating fire at the Ring Theatre in Vienna, during a performance of the composer’s Tales of Hoffmann. As a result, 384 members of the audience perished. Upon receiving the news, Richard Wagner said, “When miners in a coal pit are burned alive, I am deeply moved and horrified, filled with disgust for a society which obtains its heating fuel by such means. But it leaves me cold and scarcely moved when members of an audience die while listening to an Offenbach operetta, which contains not one iota of moral worth!”

Did Wagner really think that the music was so worthless, or the message was a not-so-subtle anti-Semitic comment?

In the 1960’s during my college days, my private piano teacher assigned me to study and play a few Mazurkas by Chopin. I remember distinctly that he told me,” Each of the Chopin Mazurkas is a jewel in itself; Chopin was at his most brilliant in the short compositions, and his Mazurkas are a prime example of this art form.”

A few days later, I was walking in the hallway of the music building, and I ran into another of the faculty’s respected piano instructors. Even though he was not my teacher, we knew each other well and occasionally conversed on musical matters. Upon seeing the Mazurkas book under my arm, he commented, “You know, David, those trifles are not worth the paper in which they are printed; pure Romantic trash!”

What would be your reaction if I invited you to a concert at Copley Symphony Hall , featuring the Modoc County Philharmonic, conducted by Homer Frizbee, performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 6? You would laugh at the absurdity. Such an evening can not be any good! You may even say something like “Who do these people think they are, to attempt to play such a gigantic work such as this one? If they are stupid enough to play this music, I am certainly not stupid enough to be there!”

My reaction may actually be not too different from yours, but let’s face it, we are talking about pure, uninformed prejudice. We all have preconceived notions of what high quality is and what lesser quality in the arts is. It is a snobbish concept, which, admittedly, keeps standards high to a certain point, but at the same time limits our options, and therefore, our potential introduction to new experiences and aesthetic satisfaction. If we are not careful, we may actually enjoy ourselves. It may be very well possible that an old recording of Bloch’s Trois Poemes Juifs with the Riga Symphony Orchestra is far superior than a new high-tech release of the same work with the Chicago Symphony. You will never really know unless you compare both, or are willing to take a chance on something unknown.

A classic example of this rationale is the case of a superb piano performance on compact disc, which I, along with many other musicians and critics have praised and admired. The problem is that the pianist, as wonderful an artist that he is, is not well known. These things happen. A critic who reviewed this CD, and had obviously not heard of this pianist, could only give this ridiculous comment: “The playing is OK; at least there are no disasters”. What a brainless, self-serving arrogant pseudo-intellectual remark! It borders on being an insult, and for sure, it does not serve music.

When I was a high school student, decades ago, I entered a debate competition. According to the way this contest was arranged, I knew the names of my competitors before the event. The weekend preceding the debate, my parents were hosting visitors from Europe, an old doctor and his wife, who prided themselves in matters of intellect, culture, and good taste. In discussing with them my upcoming debate, I showed them the list of the other participants. The good doctor, upon scanning the list, immediately told me, “You will have no problems from all the other ten debaters, except this one, Rudolf Dubek, who is obviously intelligent and will give you trouble”. He made up his mind as to who had the higher I.Q. solely from the last name, implying superior genes, intelligent breeding, discipline, education, and background. This, my friends, is pure prejudice.

In music, the secret is to LISTEN, with open ears, heart and mind. Pre-judging is convenient and gives us the comfort of being part of the so-called “intelligent circle of people who all agree as to what’s what and who’s who.” We praise and worship what is expedient. I may go as far as saying that we even hear the musical group with the lesser reputation and profile, and tell our friends “See, I told you that they are not that good.” Maybe so, but it is also possible that you were not really listening. Were you taken by the person at the podium who looked so slick and in control, that you were inclined to say or think “Now, that conductor really knows what he is doing!” Did you close your eyes for a while and simply listen to the sound?

If our local classical music radio station announced the playing of a Beethoven symphony, conducted by George Solti, you would probably look forward to hearing it, and with good reason. But, what if it is a recording conducted by our mythical friend, Maestro Frizbee? Would you turn off the radio immediately? Agreed, chances are that the Solti rendition would be the better one, but quality comes in surprising packages.

I have heard in concerts, and worked with soloists and orchestras whose quality far exceeds their prestige, reputation, and asking price, to the point of challenging many of the household names in the world of music that you and I have been told are “it,” simply the best. This could be very misleading.

Case in point: Take the dynamic trio of tenors who have presented huge spectacular shows to millions and millions of people all over the world. Granted, Carreras, Domingo, and the late Pavarotti, accompanied by Zubin Mehta are a formidable package indeed. But, are their television spectaculars good or bad for classical music? My reaction would be the same as yours: Sure, it’s good for music! Look how many people are exposed to listen and enjoy these superstars, who would otherwise never go to a live concert. It is an introduction which might lead the uninitiated to attend operas, concerts and recitals.

I agree with you that this is very good. But there is a down side to this, as explained so graphically in Norman Lebrecht’s book Who Killed Classical Music? I have talked to musically ignorant people who loved the three tenors, are fully convinced that they are the best in the world (which may be the case, but that’s not my point), and that all other tenors anywhere are simply inferior, worthless, and best avoided. This is an injustice and a disservice to good music.

The secret: LISTEN, do not pre-judge, take a few chances. It may not be as easy and convenient as the safe, known alternatives, but the chances of broader satisfaction and insights are far greater.

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Amos is conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra and a guest conductor of professional orchestras around the world.

Dubai to deny Israelis with second passport entry

PRESS RELEASE (WJS)–Following the assassination of a Hamas commander blamed on the Hamas, Israelis who also hold the passport of another country will be banned from entering the United Arab Emirates if identified as Jews, according to Dubai’s police chief.  Israeli nationals are currently not permitted to travel to the country, but Israeli citizens holding a passport of a third country can currently enter the country. “We will not allow those who hold Israeli passports into the UAE no matter what other passport they have,” Dubai police chief Dahi Khalfan Tamim said.

“We knew Israelis from their accents, but when they used European passports to come here, we accepted that and we treated them as Europeans. But after this day, if they have dual citizenship, we will exert extreme caution.”

“We know how to recognize them,” Tamim explained, saying his officials would be on the lookout for “Jews” and would identify them by “physical features and the way they speak.”

Israelis have been admitted to the UAE in recent years for specific reasons, including sports competitions and a recent energy conference. The sanctions come as Dubai authorities insist that they were sure that Israel’s Mossad carried out the assassination in a Dubai hotel room of a top Hamas official in January. The assassins used forged passports from five European countries to enter Dubai.

Meanwhile, the head of the Palestinian delegation in Australia, Izzat Abdulhadi, said Jewish leaders in Australia had to decide whether their loyalties lay with Australia or Israel. “I think the Jewish community [leaders] should be more constructive and behave as Australians and protect the integrity of Australian citizens,” Abdullhadi said in an interview with the newspaper ‘The Australian’.

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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress

Ashkenazim and Mizrachim

 

By Rabbi Dow Marmur 

JERUSALEM–For the first decades of its existence, Israel was ruled by Ashkenazi elites. Its politics and popular culture were imported from Western Europe and its religion came from Eastern Europe. When the immigrants from Arab countries arrived, many were put into substandard “development towns.” Those who wanted to make their way in the land were expected to adopt Western mores, even learn Yiddish to find places in yeshivot.

Things began to change in the 1970s leading up to the first Likud government. Though Prime Minister Menachem Begin (described as a true Polish gentleman) and his associates were no less Ashkenazi than the members of the previous ruling party (the Socialist Mapai), they knew how to rouse the frustrated immigrants from the Muslim world to protest against their treatment by other Jews. Since then there has been a steady shift in favour of the Mizrachim (Easterners, a more accurate term than Sephardim). Even Orthodox Mizrachim now sought emancipation from East European Ashkenazi domination; today the strongest Orthodox political party is Shas which is Mizrachi.

The Mizrachim had no time for the European religious divisions between Orthodox and Liberal and they don’t relate to secularism as an alternative that Ashkenazim brought into the country. Mizrachi religiosity has been described in a recent book as “traditionism,” which manifests itself at times as a form of non-practicing Orthodoxy but with significant variations. Though its adherents call themselves Masorti, they refuse to have anything to do with the Masorti movement, which is an offshoot of American Conservative Judaism with roots in Europe. And they’re even more opposed to Reform Judaism and its modernist efforts to bring about changes in ritual, gender equality, recognition of gays and lesbians and acceptance of non-Jewish spouses.

The Israeli melting pot hasn’t been as successful as anticipated. In the early days of the state it was assumed that school and army would break down barriers. The hidden agenda was, of course, that everybody would become Ashkenazi. That has not happened. There’re deep divisions in schools; at least one Orthodox Ashkenazi girls school refuses to accept Mizrachi students. And I surmise that divisions also exist in the army. True, a number of Mizrachim have gained prominence in the land but, it has been suggested, it’s because they’ve adopted many Ashkenazi mores – and learnt to speak English.
  
By and large Mizrachim feel about the Arabs the way Polish Jews feel about the Poles. But whereas the Poles don’t live in the area, Arabs do. Much of what’s going on politically in Israel and how Israelis relate to their neighbors can best be understood in this context. Even Ashkenazim who appeal to the masses – Menachem Begin in his day and, mutatis mutandis, Avigdor Lieberman in ours – adopt tough anti-Arab postures, which are often very popular, even when counterproductive.

What a growing number of Westerners living here, and their relatives in Europe and North America, have against the present government can also be understood as Ashkenazi nostalgia for ages past. When Ashkenazim say that Israel has changed in recent decades, they may be saying that those now in charge aren’t “our kind of people.” But that’s their problem, not Israel’s.

However, everybody’s problem is that Israel’s Arabs – some 20% of the population – have been treated badly by Ashkenazim and Mizrachim alike, which may be one reason why many of them, understandably, sympathize with Palestinian nationalism. 

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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto.  He divides his year between Canada and Israel.

Isolation in the Jewish state

By Ira Sharkansky

JERUSALEM–Despite the fact that Israel defines itself as a “Jewish state,” and does not insist on a separation between religion and the state, it is more secular than that other country that does proclaim a separation. Despite unknown sums of money poured into religious education and the support of synagogues (and a bit of public money spent on institutions of the Christian, Muslim and Druze communities), more Israeli Jews identify as secular than religious. Issues that are hot buttons in the United States, like homosexuality and abortion, are less troublesome here. Until recently one could say that Israel had bi-passed the quarrel about evolution.

No longer.

A week ago the man with the exalted title of Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Education proclaimed his opposition both to global warming and evolution, and promised to assure that the school children of Israel would not be brainwashed in either. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1151223.html

All of Israel’s ministries have a “chief scientist.” One wonders if their task is to ride herd on the lesser mortals on the ministry’s payroll, or if it a job for the minister to give a supporter with scientific credentials. This scientist has a PhD from the Technion, and worked in the field of aeronautics. No less important was his two decades activity in the Likud Party, including an unsuccessful run for a seat in the Knesset. The current Minister of Education is a Likud Member of Knesset, who until now seemed competent in his job. He has distanced himself from his appointee’s comments, but he has not yet taken steps to unappoint him.

According to the chief scientist.

“There are those for whom evolution is a religion and are unwilling to hear about anything else. Part of my responsibility, in light of my position with the Education Ministry, is to examine textbooks and curricula . . . If they keep writing in textbooks that the Earth is growing warmer because of carbon dioxide emissions, I’ll insist that isn’t the case.”

 ”Another scientific field that is problematic is biology, or life and environmental sciences. When your doctrine is based on Darwin’s theory of evolution and its implications, you are standing on unreliable foundations – that is, there is no God, there was only something primeval, and then there are certain random developments which led to the apex of all creation, the human being.

“Today I am pleased that more and more scientists engaged in pure science, rather than being employed in the name of an ideology, are reaching the conclusion that the world must have a master. Nothing is given to chance.”

The people who have won more than their share of Nobel Prizes are roiling in protest. The Rector and President of The Hebrew University have sent us all a note asking that we spend a few minutes in class talking about the controversy. Their letter emphasizes the role of the university as the home of rational science. It describes the accomplishments in medicine and physics that derive from an evolutionary perspective, admits the controversies about global warming, and asserts that science provides room for challenge and continuing research. They conclude with a firm condemnation of the chief scientist, and his failure to recognize the distinction between science and belief. They assert that there is room for both in the university, provided they are not confused, and urge the Minister of Education to assure that in every Israeli school the students learn the essence of the scientific method so they can judge correctly what is known about evolution and global warming.

Some of those sentiments may penetrate the schools for the Orthodox, while not much is likely to get into those for the ultra-Orthodox.

There may be no better demonstration about the isolation of the latter community than a picture of youngsters costumed for a Purim party in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Sharerim.

Humor in classical music

 

By Eileen Wingard

SAN DIEGO–The Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra performed a concert last February 2 entitled, “Humor in Classical Music,” which tickled the funny bones of its audience.

Particularly hilarious was Rossini’s “Cat Duet,” a musically satisfying aria sung bySopranos Sylvia Hartman and Victoria Roberton. Both ladies, costumed in cat ears and exhibiting feline gestures,  delivered their lyrics, “miauuuuu,” with lovely voices and comedic conviction.

 The listeners were also delighted by the final work, the Concerto Popolare, a Concerto to End All Piano Concertos. Written by composer Franz Reizenstein, a German-Jewish refugee living in England, it was originally commissioned for the Hoffnung Festivals in London.  Piano soloist, Sylvia Hartman, was set on playing the Grieg Piano Concerto while conductor David Amos led the accompanying orchestra in the Tchaikowsky Piano Concerto. The battle of wills which ensued had Hartman playing virtuosic passages with artistic flare and acting the part of a   frustrated soloist.TICO has often featured this multi-talented musician as vocalist and pianist. She also plays harp with the orchestra. This concert was truly a Hartman evening,showcasing her many talents.

Also included in the program were Mozart’s “Musical Joke for Strings and Horns,” Haydn’s “Surprise Symphony,” Jacques Ibert’s “Divertissement,” and Schickele’s “Unbegun Symphony.”   This concert is another example of the imaginative programming of TICO’s knowledgable and creative maestro, David Amos.

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Wingard is a former San Diego Symphony violinist and a freelance writer.

Venezuelan ambassador denies that Jews are being targeted

PRESS RELEASE (WJC)–Venezuela’s ambassador to the US  denied that Jews are being targeted by his government and justified Venezuela’s growing friendship with Iran.

Bernardo Alvarez spoke to journalists  in Washington DC  the day after the release of a 300-page report by the Organization of American States which criticized the Chavez government for widespread human rights abuses.

“I have twice taken delegations of the World Jewish Congress to Venezuela, and we reaffirmed to them that Venezuela is against all kinds of discrimination,” he said. “In fact, Jewish people who had left for Israel are now coming back to Venezuela.” Over the past decade, the Jewish community has fallen from a high of about 20,000 members to the oft-cited figures of 13,000 to 10,000, according to local Jewish activists.

Tiferet Israel, the main synagogue in the capital city of Caracas, was vandalized in January 2009. Eight police officers were among those charged in connection with the attack.

Alvarez sharply criticized the OAS report, as well as an earlier one by the U.S. State Department that cited Venezuela’s political and economic ties with Iran, as well as Israeli allegations that Hezbollah cells operate on the offshore island of Isla Margarita. “We have a large community of Syrians and Lebanese on Margarita, and those guys are very good merchants, but they don’t support terrorism,” he said.

Alvarez also defended the close personal ties that Chavez has cultivated with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. “Iran has been a partner of Venezuela for years,” Alvarez said, adding later that “We have a good friendship with Ahmadenijad, as we did with Khatami,” his predecessor, “and we will be ready to work with any other Iranian president who follows.” Alvarez denied persistent rumors that Venezuela is helping Iran circumvent sanctions on oil exports.

He also said Venezuela has no plans to restore full diplomatic relations with Israel.

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Preceding provided b y World Jewish Congress.

The futility of “crippling sanctions”against Iran

By Rabbi Dow Marmur

JERUSALEM–I’ve heard skeptics accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu of concentrating so much on the Iranian threat to avoid saying more about Israel-Palestinian relations. But Thomas S. Evans (www.opendemocracy.net) takes him at his word and tells readers why his Iranian campaign is bound to fail on its own demerits.

Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken about the imperative for the United Nations to impose “crippling sanctions” on Iran in the energy sector. With this as a main item on his agenda, he flew to Moscow recently in the hope that Russia, together with China and the United States, would lead the way and thus make a UN resolution possible. According to Evans that’s not likely to happen because the “big three” have different fish to fry.

China and Russia don’t want to jeopardize their trade deals with Iran. The US won’t punish Iran in this way because it may complicate its efforts to help bring about an implosion within the country. Energy sanctions would galvanize the entire population, including the opposition, and thus have the opposite to the desired outcome. Yes, there will be sanctions and they’ll add to Iran’s economic woes, but they won’t cripple it.

Netanyahu hinted at sanctions outside the UN Security Council, perhaps as a veiled threat of a unilateral Israeli attack, but that would have even more devastating consequences. For, as Evans puts it, though many Iranians “detest Israel enough to seek its destruction,” there are others who “’merely’ dislike it intensely but know they must live with it.” An Israeli attack would alienate the latter and again bring the Iranians together under the mantle of the Supreme Leader and Ahmadinejad.

That shouldn’t give us cause for panic, only for responsible concern. Though Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric – most recently displayed during his visit to Syria with an agenda of its own – is vile, it’s quite obvious that a nuclear Iran is no less a threat to all Arab and most Muslim countries, indeed to the whole world.

Of course, the Iranians might one day – perhaps soon – be able to deploy nuclear weapons against Israel, but not only would that lead to a response in kind, but the Iranian devices would probably kill more Palestinians and Israeli Arabs than Jewish Israelis. It would then decidedly provoke the whole world and galvanize friends and foes into an alliance of World War proportions that would result in the end of Iran as we now know it.

Those who seem to understand Iran say that, though its current leaders may be evil, they aren’t stupid and thus not likely to engage in self-destruction. Harming Israel would offer too little consolation even for Israel’s most formidable enemies.

Though it may be reasonable to expect Netanyahu and his government to continue to point to the Iranian threat and seek to alert the rest of the world to its implications, he should know that Israelis aren’t dummies and will understand the situation, whether or not they read Thomas Evans. He owes it to them, therefore, not to set aside the crying need to continue negotiations with the Palestinians, not just to talk about talking.

It’s possible that the leaders of the Palestinian Authority know that they can’t deliver peace because of internal tensions, but that should only encourage Israel to be as open to compromise as possible, without either jeopardizing security or using security as an evasion. For Israel’s prime minister to concentrate on this and mean it may be a better way of combating Iran than trying to persuade big powers with agendas of their own.

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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto.  He divides his year between Canada and Israel.

 

Poll finds Americans rate Israel as one of most favorable nations

PRESS RELEASE (WJC)–A new poll has found that Israel is ranked fifth among countries viewed most favorably by Americans. Israel came fifth behind Canada, Britain, Germany and Japan in a February Gallup survey. Respondents were asked to provide their opinions on a list of 20 countries that also included the Palestinian Authority. 67 percent answered that they have a favorable opinion of Israel, compared to 25 percent with an unfavorable opinion.

Some 20 percent of respondents viewed the Palestinian Authority favorably, an improvement over last year’s total of 15 percent, placing it fourth from the bottom. Iran continued to rank last, with a 10 percent favorable rating. Israel was the only country rated this year that is viewed more favorably by Republicans, with 80 percent of respondents identifying as Republicans viewing the country favorably, compared with 53 percent of Democrats.

Some 63 percent of those polled said their sympathies lie more with Israel than with the Palestinians in the current Middle East situation — the highest level of support for Israel in 19 years. About 15 percent said they side more with the Palestinians, while 23 percent said they favor both sides, neither side or have no opinion.

Some 30 percent of Americans polled answered “yes, there will come a time” to the question, “Do you think there will or will not come a time when Israel and the Arab nations will be able to settle their differences and live in peace?” It was among the lowest percentage to answer positively since Gallup initiated the question in 1997, according to the organization. Some 67 percent answered pessimistically.

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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress.