Palestinians, Israelis More Open to Peace Compromise

July 6, 2010

Israelis also support the parameters, at 52%, an increase of 6% in support from 2009 and similar to polls taken from 2006-2008. However, neither side expects a Palestinian state to be formed in the next five years. Said the press release, “Despite the increase in willingness to compromise among the two publics, neither Palestinians nor Israelis consider it likely that an independent Palestinian state will be established next to the State of Israel in the next five years. Two-thirds in both publics think that chances for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state next to the State of Israel are non-existent or low.”

Should that pessimism prove true and the current proximity peace talks fail, 65% of Palestinians support asking the United Nations Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state. That response received the most support, although close to that was declaring a state unilaterally. The only other option that still garnered majority support was to start a non-violent resistance, presumably such as protests and boycotts.  

As for a violent response, 54% oppose resuming the armed Intifada, although 44% still support that option. Among the remaining options—one often presented as a nightmare scenario by the Israeli left—a one-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians live within a single state, presumably with voting rights for both sides, received very little support. Just 27% of Palestinians supported abandoning the two-state solution for a one-state arrangement.  

Despite the increased willingness to compromise, Palestinians still overwhelmingly supported (72%) the current boycott of goods produced in Israeli settlements. However, pragmatism appears to overcome politics when it comes to Palestinian employment by the settlements, as 60% oppose preventing Palestinians from working there. 44% believe the boycott will hurt the proximity peace talks.

The poll was conducted in early to mid-June and included Palestinians in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], East Jerusalem and Gaza, as well as Israelis. The poll’s margin of error is 3.5%. The poll was planned and supervised by Prof. Yaacov Shamir of the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace and the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Hebrew University, and Prof. Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR). 

Posted on July 6, 2010

Source: (By Joshua Spurlock, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio, July 5, 2010)