50 Friday, March 7, 1986
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
IN MODERATION
•
An exclusive poll reveals that
both Jews and non-Jews want to get
tough with terrorists, but be careful
with Yasir Arafat.
BY ARTHUR HORWITZ
Would Killing Arafat Lead
To A Redudion In Terrorism?
JEWISH RESPONSES
.0
NON-JEWISH RESPONSES
Source: Action Survey Study, 1986
Would
21%
Wouldn't
72% .
Don't Know.
No Answer
7%
26%
62%
13%
Both Jews and non-Jews feel that the
U.S. and Israel should hit terrorists
hard — perhaps even with military force
— but handle Yasir Arafat with kid
gloves.
That was the message transmitted by
a survey we commissioned that appeared
to indicate a strain of moderation in
feelings about terrorism and the explo-
sive situation in the Middle East.
Furthermore, the poll indicated that
despite an almost universal contempt
Jews hold for Arafat as a symbol of ter-
rorism, Jews were more restrained in their
attitudes toward the leader of the PLO
than were non-Jews.
Seventy-two percent of the Jews polled
did not believe that killing Arafat would
lead to a reduction in terrorism, whereas
62 percent of the non-Jews agreed, feeling
that Arafat's assassination would do more
harm than good.
The survey, which polled individuals
in Jewish and non-Jewish samples, was
conducted by Action Surveys, Inc., of
Rockville, Md. between January 22 and
February 3, 1986. (See accompanying
box for survey methodology.)
Most respondents, regardless of reli-
gious background, felt that the use of force
to reduce terrorism was a practical option.
Nearly three-fourths of those questioned
believed that American military action
would be appropriate. Jews were more like-
ly than non-Jews to endorse Israeli mili-
tary action, with 82 percent, compared to
68 percent, favoring the use of force.
While those polled felt that terrorists,
with the exception of Arafat, are fair game
for the U.S. and Israeli armed forces, coun-
tries that support and harbor terrorists are
not.
Both Jews and non-Jews questioned
were uncertain whether going to war
with such countries as Libya, Iran and
Syria would lead to a reduction in ter-
rorism. About half of those questioned
supported military action by America or
Israel.
A New York Times-CBS News poll, con-
ducted nationwide in January, found that
40 percent of Americans believe that U.S.
military action against a government sus-
pected of training or financing terrorists
would actually reduce terrorism.
Not all "get tough" talk from respon-
dents in our poll was aimed at terrorists.
Aside from using its defense forces, most
people said, Israel could lessen terrorism
by bending more to the U.S. and the
PLO. •
About half of non-Jewish respondents to
the poll said they believe that a less
strident negotiating polity toward the
PLO would reduce terrorism. Only 22 per-
cent of the Jews felt the same way.
More than half of the non-Jews polled
Arthur Horwitz is the Director of Marketing
for the Baltimore Jewish Times and will be
associate publisher of The Jewish News.