Today’s Times features a NYT/CBS poll about political attitudes toward the major issues of the day. This finding should give Israel and her American water-carriers, Aipac, great pause:
In the wake of the fighting in Lebanon, the public is increasingly pessimistic about the possibility of peace between Israel and its neighbors. Only 26 percent could foresee Israel and the Arab countries settling their differences while 70 percent could not — a figure up from 64 percent last month. And most Americans — 56 percent — said they do not believe that the country has a responsibility to try to resolve the conflicts between Israel and other Middle Eastern countries, while 39 percent said it was a proper role.
That is, 56% of Americans are so goddamned tired of the endless bloodletting that they’re willing to wash their hands of the whole damn mess. This may not have immediate repurcussions for Israel, but can anyone doubt that this decline in the average American’s commitment to Israel will translate into something fateful and negative for the country down the line??