WASHINGTON, April. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ — The Middle East Academic Survey Research Exposition (MEASURE) project polled Middle East academics about the Walt and Mearsheimer report titled “The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy”
The Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep) compiled and presents survey responses drawn from a pool of 2,300 academics with advanced degrees in Middle East area studies. The surveyed group’s terminal degree profile is 61 pct. PhD, 14 pct. MA, 13 pct. MS. The survey was fielded between March 31 and April 5, 2006.
Key Findings:
1. 49 pct. of Middle East academics polled believe that the academic community is “hostile” to studies that are critical of the Israel Lobby and US policies toward Israel. 26 pct. believe academia is “open” to such findings.
2. 85 pct. of Middle East academics polled believe that the Israel Lobby as described by Mearsheimer and Walt is “negative” to “extremely negative” to US interests.
3. 65 pct. of Middle East academics polled believe that the most powerful intimidation tactic of the Israel Lobby is charging detractors as “anti-Semites”, followed by attacks from the mainstream media by embedded Israel Lobby sympathizers (59 pct.).
4. 91 pct. of Middle East academics polled believe it is “extremely accurate” to “accurate” that the Israel Lobby’s tactics expose the United States to avoidable hostility in the Middle East.
5. 86 pct. of Middle East academics polled believe that the Israel Lobby places what it considers to be Israel’s interests above the national interests of the United States.
See the full report for charts and comments at IRemp.org
MEASURE is conducted by the D.C. based Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep). This poll should not be interpreted as a statistically significant reflection on the views of all US Middle East academics. Qualitative survey responses should be studied with as much care as quantitative results.
The Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRmep) is a non-partisan, non-ideological think tank dedicated to researching America’s interests in the Middle East. Founded in 2002, the Institute became an independent non-profit tax-exempt organization in 2003.
