(Nati Shohat/Flash90)
Barkan factory

According to a recent poll among American Jews, 72 percent support construction of homes in the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria.

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), known for defending the right of Jews to live freely in their ancient homeland – most notably, Judea and Samaria, which is widely referred to as the “West Bank,” and eastern Jerusalem – in a press release pointed to a recent poll commissioned by the far-left J Street group, conducted on November 4, 2014, showing that 72 percent of Jews in the United States support the construction of homes in Judea and Samaria.

Also according to the poll, 75 percent of American Jews oppose Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) of products manufactured in the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria. ZOA notes that boycotting such products has been “championed by extremist left-wing figures like Peter Beinart, to whom J Street gave a platform.”

At least 50 percent of employees at Jewish-owned factories in Samaria, such as the Barkan Factory, are Palestinian Arab; they enjoy equal rights and good working conditions.

In Israel as well, a vast majority opposes the withdrawal of Jews from their homes in Judea and Samaria and the division of Jerusalem.

Overwhelming Support for Protective Edge

An impressively large percentage of American Jews – 80 percent – supported Israel’s Operation Protective Edge over the past summer, ZOA adds. The operation was launched in order to prevent the constant firing of rockets into southern and central Israel from Hamas-ruled Gaza and to destroy the terror tunnels leading into Israel that Hamas had built for the purpose of mass murder and mass kidnappings.

“J Street opposed Operation Protective edge and advocated an early ceasefire, before Israel had achieved either objective,” the ZOA press release states.

The majority of American Jews, however, still favor the Democrats (69 percent) over the Republicans (28 percent), despite the Obama Administration’s strong condemnation of Israel for building homes in East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.

Author: United with Israel Staff