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Summer 2004 -- Polling conducted by the Steinmetz Center for
Peace Research at Tel-Aviv University, in coordination with the University
of Maryland, has found that a clear majority of Israeli-Jews (54.42% favor,
29.61% oppose) support a unilateral withdrawal encompassing the West Bank as
well as the Gaza Strip, provided that from an international point of view,
such a withdrawal ends the territorial dimension of the conflict, with
Israel recognized as a Jewish state within a permanent boundary. Such a
withdrawal goes well beyond anything contemplated by the current Israeli
government.
Respondents were asked:
“ It has recently been
reported that the government intends to unilaterally disengage from the Gaza
Strip. What is your opinion of a similar unilateral disengagement from the
West Bank under the following conditions:
- The new border will
approximate the Green Line with minor modifications so that Israeli
sovereignty will include territories on which 75% of the Judea and Samaria
settlers now live.
- In return for
territories annexed to Israel, The Palestinians will receive from Israel
territories on the same scale.
- This unilateral
action will only take place if the United States is able to obtain from the
UNSC recognition of Israel as a Jewish State within these permanent borders.
- Negotiations over
Jerusalem, Refugees and other issues will take place at later stage.
Do you support or
oppose such a unilateral disengagement from the West Bank under these
conditions?”
Results were as
follows:
|
|
Israeli
Jews
|
|
Strongly
support
|
23.5%
|
|
Support
|
30.9%
|
|
Oppose
|
10.4%
|
|
Strongly
oppose
|
19.2%
|
|
Don’t
know
|
16.1%
|
Further analysis by party affiliation
revealed that the proposal had strong support across the Israeli political
spectrum except for the far-right. Among Shas supporters 50% supported and
36% opposed, and among Likud supporters 43% supported and 40% opposed. The
breakdown was as follows:
|
|
Support
|
Oppose
|
Don’t
Know
|
|
Likud
|
45.7%
|
37.9%
|
16.4%
|
|
Labor
|
65.6%
|
20.3%
|
14.1%
|
|
Meretz
|
75.7%
|
11.4%
|
12.9%
|
|
Shinui
|
65.6%
|
20.3%
|
14.1%
|
|
Shas
|
22.7%
|
59.1%
|
18.2%
|
|
National
Religious Party
|
26.5%
|
61.8%
|
11.7%
|
Dr. Jerome M. Segal of the University of
Maryland, who developed the proposal, pointed out that this result is in
sharp contrast to the results obtained when Israeli Jews are simply asked
about a pull-out from most of the West Bank without Israel getting anything
in return. Dr. Segal said, “It is important to recognize that this proposal
contained key positive elements not contained in the current disengagement
discourse. Specifically,
A) The
withdrawal would only occur if the United States was able to obtain United
Nations Security Council support;
B) The
withdrawal line would be recognized as Israel’s permanent border, except for
Jerusalem which would be deferred.
C) Within
that permanent border Israel would be recognized as a Jewish State.”
Dr. Segal went on to say that the response suggests
that Israeli Jews are prepared to make far reaching territorial moves,
provided Israel receives clear benefits in return, And further, it appears
that Israelis may place more value on formal recognition as a Jewish state
within permanent boundaries when it comes from the international community
than when it comes from the Palestinians.
Polling was conducted June 28-30, 2004 and included
579 interviewees who represent the adult
Jewish and Arab population of Israel. The
margin of error is 4.5%.
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June 2003 -- The Jewish Peace Lobby, in a poll
conducted with the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research at Tel-Aviv
University, found that 65% of Israeli Jews support or very much support an
active American effort to formualte detailed peace agreements, not just for
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but for the conflict with Syria and
Lebanon as well. They want the United States to then recruit
international support in an effort to convince the parties to accept these
agreements. Only 28% of Israeli Jews opposed this approach.
Similar results were found on the same issue in a
poll conducted in September 2002. 67% of Israeli Jews supported the
United States formulating detailed peace agreements for the Middle East.
Only 28% of Israeli Jews opposed such an American approach.
Through further statistical analysis, it was
revealed that among those questioned who identified themselves as Sharon
voters in the 2001 Israeli elections, 59% supported the approach described
above. Among Barak supporters, that support climbs to 80.6%.
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