Most of the headlines in the Israeli media regarding the broad-ranging Pew Research Center survey published March 8 dealt, rightly so, with the troubling attitudes of Jewish society toward the Arab minority in Israel and the Palestinian population in the territories. The public discourse of the past week focused on findings that illustrate racist and discriminatory trends, such as the 79% majority who believe Israel’s Palestinian citizens deserve fewer rights than its Jews. It is probable that members of the UN delegation the Security Council is considering sending to the West Bank and to Israel would keep this data in mind. Al-Monitor has learned that the delegation — a fact-finding mission — would be asked to examine the feasibility of the "two state for two peoples solution." President Barack Obama's administration has been paying particular attention to this conflict recently. In a last-ditch effort, it is seeking to extricate the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians from its quagmire by promoting this new UN initiative.

Judging by the survey's finding, the Jewish people residing in Israel would rather the Palestinian people find themselves a state across the river or over the sea. Also, the poll reveals that while the Jews living in Israel share the same country, their views on culture and religion are widely divergent. East against West.

Few ultra-Orthodox and secular Jews have friends outside of their own communities. Some nine out of 10 secular Jews say they would “not feel comfortable” or “not feel comfortable at all” (73%) if their children were to one day marry an ultra-Orthodox Jew. Among the ultra-Orthodox, opposition to mixed marriage with secular Jews reaches 95% and 78%, respectively (not comfortable/not comfortable at all). It was reported March 8 that Israel’s chief rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, recently called on religious Jews to distance their kids from secular or traditional family members, and even to prevent any acquaintance with them.

But the ultra-Orthodox have an even worse enemy than non-observant Jews who eat non-Kosher food and violate the Sabbath. These are the Reform and Conservative Jews and Jewesses, who sit side by side in their synagogues rather than in separate sections. For the ultra-Orthodox, they are even worse than homosexuals and lesbians, whom they consider simply poor souls who have lost their minds. This "threat" does not stem from the size of these communities, as only 5% of Israeli Jews identify with Reform and Conservative Judaism, according to the Pew survey. What the ultra-Orthodox fear is the attempt by the Reform and Conservative communities to alter Jewish law, which they believe should never be done.