14 אפריל, 2008

Another Israeli poll shows Israeli public is pro-settlement

Another Israeli poll shows Israeli public is pro-settlement

When a survey sets out to show one thing and shows another, it's regarded as reliable. An example of such a reliable survey is the latest Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research, a leftwing research institute in Tel Aviv University: 
 http://www.tau.ac.il/peace/
 
The survey, conducted on 31 March and 1 April,  concluded that Israeli Jews regard Judea and Samaria as "liberated" (55%) rather than "occupied (32%).  "We were surprised", admitted researchers Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar Hermann. The survey also found that a majority of Israeli Jews (63%) who would prefer most settlements to be part of Israel, only 23% preferring to leave the settlements and return to the Green Line.
 
Israeli Jews also were found to regard the settlements in Judea and Samaria as part of Israel already, rather than part of the so-called "territories". While the Israeli government in fact has yet to turn its settlements into an official part of Israel. 39% of Israelis told the surveyors that the capital city of the Shomron, Ariel, was part of Israel. 36% said that Kiryat Arba, the sister-city of Hebron, was part of Israel, and 45% said that Maaleh Adumim, the biggest city in Judea and Samaria, was part of Israel rather than part of the territories.
 
A vast majority felt that a Palestinian state would not solve the Palestinian's conflict with Israel (73%). Only 20% of Israeli Jews were of the opinion that establishing a Palestinian state would resolve the conflict.
 
Susie Dym, spokesperson
Mattot Arim
an Israeli grassroots movement
working toward peace-for-peace since 1992