Israeli Jews favor outpost evacuation

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Ondanks de ferme taal van Netanyahu & Lieberman geeft de meerderheid zijn
zegen aan het ontruimen van de nederzettingen, als de USA dit als
voorwaarde stelt zelfs meer.
Duidelijke taal is dus nodig.

Groet / Cees


Jun. 14, 2009
JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POST

Seventy five percent of Israeli Jews support the evacuation of
unauthorized outposts in the West Bank, with 57% saying that they would
even support the use of force in such evacuations and 18% saying that they
would support the government on the issue if the evacuations come
following an agreement with the settlers. Only 25% said that they opposed
any removal of outposts, according to a study conducted by the Institute
for National Security Studies and released for publication Sunday.

The Public Opinion Survey on National Security Issues also found that 58%
of Israeli Jews supported the continued expansion of West Bank
settlements. However, only 17% supported further growth over the green
line if such activity "will result in a confrontation with the United
States." 42% of the public opposed all construction in settlements.

The survey found that Jewish backing for a Palestinian state has been
steadily declining since it peaked at 60% in 2006. This year's survey
found that 53% of Jewish Israelis accepted the establishment of a
Palestinian state alongside Israel. Still, the survey drew a distinction
between a solution based on a "Palestinian state" and a solution based on
the formula "two states for two peoples."

The survey also found that support for the "two states for two peoples"
formula has been consistently above 60% in the past few years, with 64%
voicing support for such a solution to the conflict in 2009.

According to the survey, Israelis were reluctant to accept a return to the
1967 borders and the evacuation of all West Bank settlements. The study
found that only 15% were willing to entertain the possibility of a full
pullout, up from 14% in 2007. Some 43% were willing to accept the
evacuation of "small and isolated settlements" in return for peace, as
opposed to 45% in 2007.

The survey, which was conducted during the first three weeks of May 2009,
also gauged the public's stance regarding engagement with Hamas. Only 18%
of the respondents expressed support for dialogue - direct and indirect -
with the Islamic rulers of the Gaza Strip. All in all, 72% supported
continued military pressure on Hamas, including 33% who were in favor of
toppling the Hamas government "even by occupying the entire Gaza Strip."
The remaining 10% supported the continuation of the Gaza blockade.

Regarding the nuclear threat from Teheran, the survey found that 59% of
Jewish Israelis support a military strike against the Iranian nuclear
facilities if Israel were to determine that the Islamic republic has
obtained nuclear weapons.

Forty-one percent, on the other hand, said "Israel should use all the
diplomatic means available to dismantle Iran's nuclear capability but
avoid a military attack."

Still, only 21% said that they believed that Iran would "attack Israel
with nuclear weapons with the goal of Israel's destruction," and only 3%
said that they would leave the country if Teheran obtained such
capabilities. Eight percent said they would "consider" emigrating from
Israel if faced by a concrete nuclear threat from Iran.

The study also found that the Israel public is broadly opposed to a
withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace with Syria, with
only 3% of respondents coming out in favor of ceding the entire territory.
A vast majority, 60%, opposes any withdrawal from the plateau, and 20%
stated that they were "willing to return the Golan to Syrian sovereignty
but leave the Israeli settlements on the Golan."
This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com
/servlet/Satellite?cid=1244371094527&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

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