ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates how exceptional this support is compared to peoples of other countries— Americans have a more favorable view of Israel than anywhere else surveyed, and their sympathies for Israel is higher than anywhere else surveyed. It offers a more comprehensive analysis of public opinion toward Israel, using the most extensive data on this topic ever compiled. The chapter relays on emerging scholarly work on the nature of American public opinion about foreign affairs given the limited levels of knowledge and information most Americans have, and incorporating the dramatic change in partisan divide over foreign affairs. Gilboa’s observations are echoed in more recent work that reinforces the importance of public opinion in establishing and maintaining the special relations. Americans who were tuned to the news about Israel until 1985 were limited to information available on the major media outlets and to the decisions of these outlets on what to cover and how to frame the events.
