New National Survey Shows Broad, Bipartisan Support For Maintaining U.S. Sanctions Against Iran, Palestinian Authority

(06/03/2021) WASHINGTON – To better understand the direction American voters want their elected officials to pursue in the Middle East, Christians United for Israel (CUFI) and GS Strategy Group today released a national opinion survey of 800 likely voters showing a strong U.S. policy toward Iran enjoys robust support and that concern for and affinity with Israel remains high across the political spectrum.

To view the results of the survey, please click here.

The results show a clear majority – 65 percent – favor the U.S. strategy of imposing new economic sanctions targeting Iran’s support for terrorism and terror financing, and taking a harder line against Iran’s military leaders after learning that Iran has been violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran deal, from which the U.S. withdrew in 2018. That support cuts across party lines and threat perceptions. Democrats support maintaining the post-withdrawal U.S. posture by a margin of 31 points, independents by 43 points, and Republicans by 66 points.

Further, a majority of Republicans, independents, and Democrats support using economic and military sanctions to pressure Iran to end its weapons program, stop supporting terrorism, and improve its record on human rights. Just 26 percent said that the U.S. should lift nuclear and/or terrorism-related sanctions and return frozen Iranian assets as a means of persuading the regime to end its malign behavior.

“The American people want action against Iran because it is one of the greatest threats to our national security. But just any action won’t do. Voters of all political ideologies firmly support maintaining existing U.S. sanctions against Iran and using sanctions to pressure Iran into ending its malign behavior,” said CUFI founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee.

Concerning Palestinian terrorism, the survey results showed that by a margin of nearly three to one, voters oppose sending aid to the Palestinian Authority until its ‘pay to slay’ program – targeted under the Taylor Force Act – is ended. Democrats favor suspending U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority until it stops incentivizing terror by 27 points. More than half of all liberal Democrats approve of a suspension. Moderates and conservatives back a suspension by 54 percent and 73 percent, respectively. Nevertheless, the Biden Administration announced in April 2021 that it would restore $235 million in U.S. aid to the Palestinians.

“It is nauseating to imagine U.S. taxpayer dollars going to an entity that incentivizes the murder of innocent people, but that’s exactly what restoring U.S. aid to the Palestinians would do. Money is fungible, and it is reasonable to conclude that even if the U.S. is not directly supporting the ‘pay to slay’ program, that more money for terrorists and their families will be made available once our check clears. President Biden is out of step on this matter, even among members of his own party. He should declare that U.S. aid is suspended in the name of federal law,” said CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker.

The survey was conducted April 26-29, immediately prior to the start of an unrelenting wave of terror attacks by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad against the people of central and southern Israel. 60 percent of the interviews were conducted by cell phone. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.46% at the 95% confidence level. More than 40 percent of the survey respondents identify as Democrats, 34 percent as Republicans, and 20 percent as independents.

On Monday, June 8 at 3:30pm EDT, members of the press are invited to join a briefing with Robert Jones of GS Strategy Group, CUFI co-executive director Shari Dollinger and CUFI Senior Director of Policy and Communications Ari Morgenstern. Questions will be taken via operator assistance.

To register for this press briefing, please click here.

With more than 10 million members, Christians United for Israel is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world. CUFI spans all fifty states and reaches millions with its educational message.