Lets Talk Updated 7 05
- 1. Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago An initiative of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) & The Communications Department Created by Lisa Pevtzow and Josie Aaronson-Gelb Talking Effectively About Israel
- 2. What works… … and what doesn’t
- 5. PEACE & SECURITY U.S. SUPPORT COMMUNITY RELATIONS Tactical Action Steps Towards Peace POLITICAL ADVOCACY MEDIA PUBLIC OPINION
- 6. Four Decades of American Public Opinion “ In the Middle East situation, are your sympathies more with Israel or with the Palestinians?” 42% 46% 50% 48% 10% 15% 14% 13% 18% 52% PALESTINIANS Gallup Polls American Sympathies 53% 5% (Late) ISRAEL (2005)
- 7. Four Decades of American Public Opinion Four to one, Americans sympathize with Israel over the Palestinians
- 8. 79% of Americans Agree… Israel is a democracy that shares American values Greenberg 10/02 for The Israel Project
- 9. 76% of Americans Agree… Israel is one of America’s strongest allies Greenberg 10/02 for The Israel Project
- 10. 70% of Americans Agree… Israel is only trying to protect its citizens Greenberg 10/02 for The Israel Project
- 11. 58% of Americans Agree… Israel is willing to compromise for peace Greenberg 10/02 for The Israel Project
- 12. American View of the Palestinian Authority (PA) 54%: believe PA supports American enemies 38%: believe PA breaks commitments to make peace 32%: believe PA is an obstacle to peace American View of the Palestinian Authority Gallup Poll 75%: view PA unfavorably
- 13. PEACE & SECURITY U.S. SUPPORT POLITICAL ADVOCACY MEDIA PUBLIC OPINION Tactical Action Steps Towards Peace EDUCATED, MOBILIZED, AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY COMMUNITY RELATIONS
- 14. Our Biggest Obstacle: American Voters Who Say They Know Someone Who Is Jewish 52% (approximately 130 million people) Know a Jewish Person Don’t Know a Jewish Person K n o w A J e w i s h P e r s o n “ No one is talking to me.” “ Please talk to me.” This is what these voters say… 74 % 64 % Public Opinion Strategies 11/03 Poll for The Israel Project 96 million people 83 million people Jews Aren’t Talking! 52% Jews Aren’t Talking! 130 million people
- 15. What should we be saying?
- 16. Israel Wants Peace #1 Message
- 18. Supplementary Messages Link Israel and America
- 19. Israel is America’s Ally Against Terrorism Main Messages to Build Support Linking Israel and America
- 20. Israel & America’s shared values: democracy, freedom, security and peace Main Messages to Build Support Linking Israel and America
- 21. Religious Freedom Israeli & American Values:
- 22. Women’s Rights Israeli & American Values:
- 23. Equality Israeli & American Values:
- 24. Express Compassion for the Palestinians
- 25. The Fence Hot Button Issues
- 26. Which argument works best about the fence? #1 “ The security fence is needed because there have been more than 250 Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens over the past three years. A fence is needed to keep the terrorists out and protect innocent Israeli citizens.”
- 27. Which argument works best about the fence? #2 “ The security fence is not the real issue – in 2000, Israel offered to give the Palestinians all of Gaza, more than 90% of the West Bank and create a Palestinian state in exchange for peace, but Yasser Arafat rejected this offer.”
- 28. Which argument works best about the fence? #3 “ When Palestinian leaders disarm and arrest terrorists and dismantle their organizations, then a fence won’t be needed. Until that time, Israel has the right to protect its citizens from attacks.”
- 29. Three Convincing Arguments in Support of the Fence The security fence is needed because there have been more than 250 Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens over the past three years. A fence is needed to keep the terrorist out and protect innocent Israeli citizens: 60% The security fence is not the real issue – in 2000, Israel offered to give the Palestinians all of Gaza, more than 90% of the West Bank and create a Palestinian state in exchange for peace, but Yasser Arafat rejected this offer: 59% When Palestinian leaders disarm and arrest terrorists and dismantle their organizations, then a fence won’t be needed. Until that time, Israel has the right to protect its citizens from attacks: 74% Public Opinion Strategies 7/03 Poll for The Israel Project
- 30. The Fence The Settlements Hot Button Issues
- 31. Which argument works best about the Settlements? “ The Jewish settlements in the West Bank provide a security buffer to help keep Israel’s population safe from terrorists.” #1
- 32. Which argument works best about the Settlements? “ The settlements are not the real issue. In 2000, Israel offered to dismantle settlements and create a Palestinian State in exchange for peace, but Arafat rejected this offer.” #2
- 33. Which argument works best about the Settlements? “ The settlements are not the real issue. In 2000, Israel offered to dismantle settlements and create a Palestinian State in exchange for peace, but Arafat rejected this offer. The Palestinians won’t stop until they have all of Israel.” #3
- 34. The argument that Israel has offered to dismantle settlements in the past but was rejected by Arafat has considerably more traction than other arguments These Jewish settlements in the West Bank provide a security buffer to help keep Israel’s population safe from terrorists: 43% The settlements are not the real issue. Two years ago, Israel offered to dismantle settlements and create a Palestinian State in exchange for peace, but Arafat rejected this offer: 88% The settlements are not the real issue. Two years ago, Israel offered to dismantle settlements and create a Palestinian State in exchange for peace, but Arafat rejected this offer. The Palestinians won’t stop until they have all of Israel: 72% Public Opinion Strategies 4/03 Poll for The Israel Project
- 35. Building support for Israel among America’s diverse population
- 36. Teenagers, College Students, 20-Somethings. They have a different historical frame of reference– don’t assume their context is the same as yours. They are a globally minded group who hate terrorists– talk to them about Hamas and Islamic Jihad. They want to feel hope– convey optimism. They especially value peace– stress that Israel continues to search for a non-violent solution. Luntz Study
- 37. Secrets To Successful Communication Keep it simple. Be optimistic. Stay calm, use reason and logic. Use rhetorical questions. Do…
- 38. Secrets To Successful Communication Don’t be anti-Palestinian. Don’t take sides in Israel’s internal politics. Don’t assert that Israel is perfect. Don’t use religious justification to explain Israeli policies. Don’t specifically link 9-11 with terror against Israelis. Don’t…
- 40. Secrets To Successful Communication Don’t argue. Discuss.
- 41. Put a human face on it…
- 42. An initiative mobilizing the Jewish community to strengthen public support for Israel Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago An initiative of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) & The Communications Department Created by Lisa Pevtzow and Josie Aaronson-Gelb Talking Effectively About Israel
Editor's Notes
- #2: All of us are here because we love Israel. We help our Israeli brothers and sisters with contributions to JUF. We travel there. We advocate for Israel in Washington and Springfield. We monitor the media to keep them honest in their coverage. But if you're like me, you still wish there were something else you could do to help. There is something else you can do, and I’m here to talk about how you can do it effectively – the fence-sitters. We need to strengthen the support for Israel among the 98% of the community that is not Jewish. We especially need to reach out to the 25% of Americans – our non-Jewish friends, neighbors, colleagues and sometimes extended family – who have not decided what they think about Israel’s search for peace and security.