All Parties Side with Israel in Israeli/Palestinian Conflict After Watching Video
-- After viewing Israeli and Palestinian Spokesmen viewers increase blame on Palestinians for this week’s escalating
Israeli/Palestinian conflict --
Flemington, NJ, December 30, 2008 – A new national study conducted among 309 self-declared Democrats, Republicans and
Independents asked participants to view a video clip which outlined the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that has escalated
in the past week. The video clip displayed both opposing sides’ perspective on the situation and each of their
justifications for the attacks. The study revealed that after watching the video, all political parties significantly
increased their support for Israel while holding Palestine mostly responsible for the ongoing attacks.
The study was conducted by HCD Research on December 29 to obtain Americans’ perceptions of the recent situation in
Israel and Palestine involving the attacks on one another’s countries. To view believability curves and detailed results
go to: www.mediacurves.com.
Before viewing the video clip of the two opposing sides, Americans, especially Democrats, were split on who should be
held mostly responsible for the recent attacks in Israel and Palestine. Before watching the video, 12% blamed Israel and
33% blamed Palestine. After watching the video, 11% blamed Israel, over half (53%) blamed Palestine; an increase of 20%
of those siding with Israel.
When asked if the U.S. should intervene in this situation, the majority (64%) said no while only 13% said yes (24%
weren’t sure). The small percentage who responded yes thought that if the US were to intervene, it should be politically
and economically rather than militarily.
Among the findings:
“Who do you think is mostly responsible for the Israeli/Palestinian attacks that started this past week?”
BEFORE watching the video
AFTER watching the video
Total
Democrats
Republicans
Independents
Total
Democrats
Republicans
Independents
Israel
12%
19%
7%
11%
11%
20%
5%
10%
Palestine
33%
20%
49%
31%
53%
46%
63%
50%
Both
51%
59%
40%
54%
34%
33%
30%
39%
Neither
4%
3%
4%
4%
2%
1%
2%
2%
“Do you think that the US should intervene in this situation?”
BEFORE watching the video
AFTER watching the video
Total
Democrats
Republicans
Independents
Total
Democrats
Republicans
Independents
Yes
12%
19%
10%
7%
13%
19%
13%
7%
No
63%
55%
57%
79%
64%
62%
56%
74%
Not sure
25%
26%
34%
15%
24%
20%
32%
19%
While viewing the video clip, participants indicated their levels of believability by moving their mouse from left to
right on a continuum. The responses were recorded in quarter-second intervals and reported in the form of curves. The
participants were also post-viewing questions.
The Media Curves web site provides the media and general public with a venue to view Americans’ perceptions of popular
and controversial media events and advertisements.