Survey results 'a lot more positive' than expected

A conservative black activist is surprised to learn that blacks throughout the country have a positive view of Israel.

The survey, conducted by Lifeway Research, queried blacks about their thoughts on Israel. 42-percent of respondents had a positive perception of the country, while 27 percent had a negative opinion, and 32 percent were unsure. When it comes to the subject of anti-Semitism, 30 percent of those polled agree with the subtle anti-Semitic phrase, "Jewish people have too much control of American finances," but 62 percent believe God's promise of the land of Israel to Abraham and his descendants was for all time.

Marie Fischer, a member of the Project 21 Black Leadership Network who happens to be Jewish, is surprised at amount of support for Israel.

"It did surprise me," she admits. "It was a lot more positive than I expected. But at the same time, it seems that there were a lot of people who don't really know what's going on. They're not really familiar with the issues. And a lot of the answers were anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of people saying they didn't know or they weren't sure."

Fischer blames the slanted news media for the fact that seven in ten blacks surveyed sympathize equally with the hardships Israelis and Palestinians face.

"If you're getting a majority of your information from the media, it's going to be slanted," she states. "They're just saying they feel sorry for both groups because they really are not fully comprehending what's really going on."