News Brief

A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is important to voters in early primary states.

In an Arab American Institute poll, strong majorities of voters in both parties in Iowa and New Hampshire identified a two-state Israeli-Palestinian outcome as a U.S. interest.

The poll asked respondents in the two early presidential contest states: “Do you agree or disagree that a two-state solution providing peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians should be an important goal of U.S. foreign policy?” In Iowa, 74 percent of respondents of both parties agreed. In New Hampshire, 76 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Republicans agreed. However, the poll also found that majorities among both parties in both states said they would not be affected by whether a candidate was committed to pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace. In Iowa, 32 percent of Democrats and 31 percent of Republicans said they would be more likely to back such a candidate, while 60 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of Republicans said it would make no difference.

In New Hampshire, 41 percent of Democrats and 30 percent of Republicans said they would favor such a candidate, while 51 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of Republicans said it would not make a difference. Zogby International carried out the poll in late November and early December. It had a margin of error of about 4.5 percentage points. Outcomes in the New Hampshire primaries and in the Iowa caucuses have traditionally helped determine front-runners in the presidential races.

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