Against Netanyahu, Majority of American Jews Favor Iran Nuclear Deal

A poll determined 84 percent of American Jews would favor -- either strongly or somewhat -- a deal with Iran that would relax tough sanctions on the Iranian economy in exchange for the country's agreement to limit its nuclear program to civilian purposes and accept inspectors at its nuclear facilities.

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A poll determined 84 percent of American Jews would favor — either strongly or somewhat — a deal with Iran that would relax tough sanctions on the Iranian economy in exchange for the country’s agreement to limit its nuclear program to civilian purposes and accept inspectors at its nuclear facilities, The Christian Science Monitor reports.

The paper continued:

Strong Jewish support for a nuclear deal that limits, but doesn’t completely stop, Iran’s uranium enrichment abilities was a surprise finding of a telephone poll of Jewish voters who took part in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The poll, commissioned by J Street – the self-described “pro-Israel, pro-peace” Washington lobbying organization – also found strong support for an active US role in efforts to forge Arab-Israeli peace. At the same time, the survey found strong support for Israel’s handling of Operation Protective Edge, this summer’s military operation against Hamas in Gaza that resulted in strong international criticism of Israel over the heavy civilian toll.

… The United States and five other world powers face a Nov. 24 deadline for reaching a deal with Iran. Mr. Obama said Wednesday that the nations in talks with Iran have presented Tehran with a “framework” that would “allow them to meet their peaceful energy needs,” but he said he wasn’t sure if a deal could be reached by the approaching deadline.

The strong Jewish backing for a deal actually mirrors the level of support for a diplomatic solution with Iran among Americans in general, say political analysts at J Street.

The Monitor quoted Dylan Williams, director of government affairs at lobbying group J Street, as saying: “The American public generally is supportive of giving diplomacy time to work. … I don’t think Jewish Americans are different from where the general American population is on this.”