Poll: 70% of Israelis back 2-state pact, 63% oppose Golan pull-out
Peace Index: 38% say that as PM, Netanyahu would be best on security, 24% favor Barak, 5.5 % Olmert.
By Ephraim Yaar, Tamar HermannSeventy percent of the Israeli Jewish public presently supports a peace agreement with the Palestinians based on the "two states for two peoples" formula, but a clear majority believes that this is not achievable in the near future.
The Peace Index poll carried out last week showed that 26.5 percent of Israeli Jews oppose such an agreement.
Asked whether they believed it possible to reach an agreement based on this formula in the near future, 39 percent replied that it is possible and 55 percent that it is not.
More than 60 percent of respondents also said they opposed the concept of a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for full peace treaty with Syria.
When respondents were asked who among the leaders of the three large parties could, in the public's view, best safeguard Israel's security interests while advancing the chances for peace, the findings showed 38 percent of the Israeli Jewish public favoring Benjamin Netanyahu, 24 percent Ehud Barak and 5.5 percent Ehud Olmert. Twenty-four percent of the public rejects all three and the rest (8.5 percent) have no clear position on the matter.
The prevailing pessimistic assessment of the chances of the two-state formula is apparently linked to the fact that about half the public thinks the Mahmoud Abbas government will be unable to prevent a Hamas takeover of the West Bank even if it receives assistance from Israel and other countries (43 percent of people think it will be able to prevent it and the rest do not know).
Despite and perhaps because of this, 54 percent support providing assistance to the Abbas government (compared to 41 percent who oppose it and 5 percent who do not know). The overwhelming majority (67 percent), however, would condition such assistance on the Abbas government fulfilling the Israeli government's prior demands such as recognizing Israel and putting a stop to terrorism. Only 22.5 percent support assistance without conditions, 4 percent oppose it under any conditions, and the rest do not know.
As for the types of assistance, a majority supports releasing the frozen Palestinian funds (54.5 percent in favor, 39 percent against) but a larger majority opposes providing weapons (79 percent) and removing checkpoints (71 percent).
Regarding prisoner releases as well, the rate of opponents (54 percent) is higher than that of supporters (39 percent). As for humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza by allowing the provision of medicine, foods, and other essential items, a clear majority of 58 percent thinks Israel should do so even on the assumption that such aid is likely to strengthen the Hamas government there, with 40 percent opposed.
On the Syrian issue, the occasional reports of Bashar Assad's readiness to reach a peace agreement with Israel apparently have not affected the Israeli Jewish public's consistent opposition to full withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for a full peace treaty, with rates of opposition and support at 63 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Fourteen percent are ambivalent and the rest do not know. The opposition to an agreement seems to stem, at least in part, from the near-unanimous (85 percent) assessment that Syria would not be prepared, in return for the Golan, to cut off its relations with Iran and end its support for Hezbollah, Hamas and other Palestinian terror organizations whose leaders are based in Damascus.
The Peace Index Project is conducted at the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research and the Evens Program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution of Tel Aviv University, headed by Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar Hermann. The telephone interviews were conducted by the B. I. Cohen Institute of Tel Aviv University on June 26-27, 2007, and included 580 interviewees who represent the adult Jewish and Arab population of Israel (including the territories and the kibbutzim). The sampling error for a sample of this size is 4.5%
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"the problem is syria occupies most of the golan which is israeli land" Care to explain how you cam too that conclusion?
the golan should definitely be used as a bargaining tool to make peace with syria. the problem is syria occupies most of the golan which is israeli land. israel only has control of the heights. syria has to stop the occupation and leave the golan and return it to israel if they want peace.
If Islam was only 1% radical, we would have seen large peaceful marches organized by Muslims to protest: 1) The French riots 2) Turkish citizens' continual slaughtering of Christians 3) Turkey and other "moderate" Muslim nations jailing journalists for printing truths that "insult Islam" 4) Afghanistan putting a man on trial for his life for converting to Christianity 5) Pals slaughtering a man in the street for making that conversion. And more. The facts have shown that moderates are a tiny, scared and quiet minority, afraid to stick their heads up for fear of being called apostates and being treated as Muslims treat infidels. It's time for you to "start seeing yourself" and the world around you clearly.
...and it's not that easy, in 1.4 billion muslim having a 1% extremists is a huge number, but still there is the 99%. dont put your head in the sand, especially people like you in the USA that can influence a lot!!!! start yourself seeing clearly, what's it's all about, using excuses is no good for palestinians but not even to you.
still can't understand why it was called jordan and with a saudi family to create a kingdom? since the error was made, forget about jordan, a place called palestine in the map is still needed. it's your headache to find a way to it and at the same time preserve a jewish israel. even if in the years to come i see more possible some kind of federation like the usa states between the 3 israel palestine and jordan, it would be more intelligent with a federal law for the all jews muslims and christians, because you know there is also palestinian arabs that are or were christians like myself.....it's not a matter between jews and muslims only.
There are none so blind as those who will not see---the whole thing is, in reality, due to the stated intent of islam to place the whole world under sharia law--and the real reason they hate Israel and the west is because we stand in their way. That's the bottom line.
Israel's failure to withdraw to the 1967 armistice lines has stirred up the Islamic terrorist hornet's nest. Consistently, the land grabbers have had the upper hand in Israel, as the hilltop settlers in the Occupied Territories demonstrate, Settlers who are the worst possible ambassadors to the Palestinians, antiambassadors. Slambashadors! To coin a new word! Face it, Israeli leadership has consistently been in the hands of the worst possible slambashadors to their Arab neighbors!
As much as Israel will try, there will NEVER be peace. Not because Israel is so perfect and the Palestinians so problematic. It is simply a matter of history: Islam never accepted dhimmis as their equals and all non-Muslims are considered dhimmis or "sub-Humans". Do we still remember "untermensch"? Well, we better do!
Because Abbas/Fatah are simply the other side of the islamic coin-- heads, Hamas, tails, Abbas-----
Israel's survival is assured, despite the dreams of islam----
As a resident of a city only 5 km. from the WB town of Qalqiliyah, from which have originated many terrorist attacks, returning to the pre-1967 borders is unfavorable. I imagine you would receive the same answer from any Israeli living in the slim underbelly of Central Israel, or in Jerusalem and its hinterland.
The question did not specify the size of the Palestinian state. The correct phrazing should have been: do you support a Palestian state based on the '67 borders? No doubt the Israeli response would have been a lot less favourable.
Am I missing something - Abbas still has not recognized Israel and we are helping him?? It's a YES or NO question, just like did you have breakfast today - Do you recognize Israel or not???
there is a distinct line that separates a true soldier from a ruthless killer...and there's a distinct line that divides a true soldier from the ignorant and the asinine...there's a distinct line that sets a true soldier aside from a from the fool who's hate is blind...there's a distinct line between a true soldier and a braggard who's never taken a life...because the distinct nature of a true soldier that he never leaves his humanity behind... you ARE a true soldier, shai... i hope you keep posting... maybe you'll open some eyes... salud!
back a two state solution. I back a two state solution, Jordan and Israel. Three fifths of mandatory Palestine is Jordan. Jordan should take in the Palestinian refugees.
"How long do you believe it will be before Arab-Israelis have enough votes to implement shariah (Islamic) law in Israel?" The percentage of Arabs in Israel today (excluding the West Bank stands at over 20% and growing. This is approximately the percentage of Arabs in Israel adter the 1948 War of Independence, in spite of the millions of Jews that have immigrated to Israel. What is responsible for this situation is, of course, the high Muslim Arab birth rate. However, the Muslim Arab birth rate has been in a state of decline for many years now, with the average falling from about 8 to 3.9. This is due to better education, better standard of living and Westernization (against this arose the Islamic Movement, knowing to what it wold lead). So there is hope for the future, provided that the Israeli government puts more effort into raising the level of education and the standard of living of Israeli Arabs, and integrates them into Israeli society.
It was only yesterday that I read in Ha'aretz that King Abdullah of Jordan is opposed to any confederation with the West Bank. The last thing he wants is more Palestinian citizens, for this would mean the death knell of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
"%%%%%%%%%the Israeli Jewish public" "The telephone interviews were conducted by the B. I. Cohen Institute of Tel Aviv University on June 26-27, 2007, and included 580 interviewees who represent the adult JEWISH AND ARAB population of Israel (including the territories and the kibbutzim)." Expalin how a poll conducted among the Israeli population inculding the territories and Kibbutz all of a sudden could become "Israeli Jewish Public" ....have they converted?????
look at the numbers now...open your eyes...netanyahu is out! out in the cold! and your way of thinking...is getting real old. if you think the trend towards moderation is gonna end anytime soon... then you're dreamin'... but then i guess i'm a dreamer, too... only difference is... my dreams tend to lean towards the truth... but hey...don't feel too alone... seems there's lots of you... who feel safer dictating israeli policy... when so far away from home... but as it stands though... you've got no place! you "believe" all you want... but without all those "brave" souls like you... your little dream is never gonna come true... not in three years... or in four... nor will it ever... not ever more!
The palestinians have a state..it is called Jordan.
Hey Meir, why don't you come here from Canada and practice what you preach with your ultra-nationalistic ranting espousing the values of 'aggressive policies' and ethnic cleansing. War is always the quick and easy answer with you types, always willing to fight until the last brave Israeli. Maybe if you've had experienced what I've experienced as a soldier in Lebanon and Gaza, and seen the real picture, your finger wouldn't be so quick on the trigger.
Neighborly acceptance is the issue. Doing neighborly good. Burying the hatchet, stopping the vendetta. There is no ultimate security in the sword. The sword only fulfills the saying: The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall! Even ancient Rome finally fell to demographics, fell to pieces despite its "iron" nature. The oppisite side of the "security coin" selfishly ignored by Israeli opinion is that the Occupation is a cause celebre for international terrorism, a global blight partly inspired the Occupation. Temporary Israeli security is bought at the price of global insecurity. The solution is simple: Full return to 1967, and if there must be a temporary fence, then on the Israeli side of the Green Line. Good fences make good neighbors only on the property line, not encroaching and annexing.
The Palestinians need a state. The Israelis also need the Palestinians to have a state. For only then will there be any chance that the Israelis will be able to safely enjoy the state they have. However, even without the Golan, there's plenty of Syria for the Syrians.
and a Jewish state? Will the Arab-Israelis ever be able to sing HaTikvah (our national anthem) without gagging on the words? How long do you believe it will be before Arab-Israelis have enough votes to implement shariah (Islamic) law in Israel?
state of all Greater Palestine Arabs should be the Kingdom of Jordan which will have an agreed border with Israel in Judea and Samaria?
Isn't it clear by now that a Palestinan state will be a platform for destroying Israel (a la Gaza)? Either make the west bank a part of Jordan or drive them all out. This is a matter of national survival. By the way I used to vote meretz and was a supporter of the oslo agreements.
A TWO-STATE (WHICH WILL END UP A ONE STATE SOLUTION).90% OF ISRAELIS REALIZE THAT AFTER SHARON, THE NEXT GENERATION (BORN IN THE 70'S & 80'S) WHO GREW UP WITH OSLO WILL TOTALLY OBLIVIATE IT AND TAKE A MUCH MORE HARD-LINE APPROACH. ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. THE OLD DIES TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW.
The majority of Jews now think about survival for the Jewish State. Every week, more Jews see the futility in trusting the PA leadership. The result of the Oslo Accords, was an awakening of the Jewish Nation. Those Accords enabled the PLO to establish a trogen hourse with in the Jewish State. The Jewish Nation understands that lesson now and therefore reject an IDF retreat from the territories. If the Hamas continues to spread its programs within the territories, the Jewish public will support an IDF more agressive program which may see many Arabs fleeing PA areas. The only ones holding back the IDF are politicians. When the old guard is soon replaced, the new generation will have a more agressive policy. I beleive this policy change will occur in under 3 years.