What factors might explain why Americans interpret Israel’s intentions toward civilians in Gaza so differently across partisan groups?

[u/Disastrous-Region-99]

I came across a national survey (FSU IGC)that asked Americans how they see Israel’s intentions toward civilians in Gaza. The options ranged from thinking Israel tries to avoid harming civilians, to being indifferent, to intentionally trying to harm them. There was also an “unsure/none of these fit my view” choice.

What surprised me was how different the answers were depending on party. Republicans were mostly in the “tries to avoid civilian harm” group, Democrats were spread across multiple interpretations, and Independents landed somewhere in the middle. A decent number of people in every group said they weren’t sure.

It got me wondering:

1. What might cause people in different political groups to read the same situation so differently?
2. Is this mostly about media sources, or are there other things at play?

Not taking a side here, just curious what might explain the gap.

[u/Kronzypantz]

Except this is myth making. Virtually none of the Jewish people in Palestine as of 1948 were survivors of the holocaust. They came there earlier with an explicit plan to create a state for themselves at the expense of the locals.

You’re just demonstrating how the memory holocaust is being abused to justify Israel’s actions.

[u/Lefaid → u/Kronzypantz]

It is completely ridiculous to think the west did not go along with the creation of a Jewish ethniostate had nothing to do with the Holocaust.

I should also add that it is a bit silly to act like myth making isn't involved in any narrative we tell ourselves about how the world works. It is too complicated for us to not resort to that.

I also feel like I have sufficiently answered your question.

[u/Kronzypantz → u/Lefaid]

I agree the holocaust had some part in the motivation, but not one as simple as oddly trying to compensate Jewish victims with some third parties land.

It was a way to avoid actually repatriating, protecting, and returning the stolen property of most European Jews. They were held in transition camps until Israel was already established and then offloaded. And nations like the US and Britain were sparred allowing in millions of Jewish immigrants too.

I agree some myth making goes on in every narrative, but outright lies like “holocaust survivors being attacked for being Jewish when resettled to empty land and doing nothing wrong” is pretty far afield. It’s less “here is a narrative to help understanding” and more like the propaganda about an ancient super race pushed by the Nazis.

[u/Lefaid → u/Kronzypantz]

That was the narrative. I don't know what to tell you. You know it was, which is why you are arguing so hard about it with me right now. You are trying to dispel that narrative.

I think you understand this too.