Poll: Three quarters of Israeli Jews would accept peace deal

[WITH THIS LEFT WING POLL IN HIS POCKET, NETANYAHU MORE LIKELY TO SAY YES TO THE FRAMEWORK]

More than 50% define themselves as right wing and don’t trust the Palestinians, yet would vote for a new Netanyahu-led centrist party

Raphael Ahren, TOI

Three quarters of Hebrew-speaking Israelis would support a peace agreement with the Palestinians based on the Arab Peace Initiative, and more than half would vote for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to leave the Likud and create a new party, according to a new poll published Thursday.

The survey, commissioned by the non-profit Israeli Peace Initiative, was conducted earlier this month among a representative sample of 500 Hebrew-speaking Israelis. The poll’s sponsors said it indicated that a large majority of the country’s Jews hold hawkish views regarding the peace process but would be willing to accept a deal if they understood what Israel stands to gain from an accord normalizing diplomatic and trade relations with the entire Arab world.

According to the survey, 76 percent of respondents said they are “sure” or “think” that they would be willing to support an agreement after they were told about nine different elements of the deal, all based on the Arab Peace Initiative, presented to them in a way that made them seem beneficial to Israel. More than 60 percent of respondents said they would likely support a regional peace treaty even before any components of it were discussed.

“This represents a statistically significant increase over the findings in other surveys conducted over the past few months,” according to the authors of the survey.

“The significance of this poll shows that a) Israelis indeed hold right-wing views, b) they don’t believe the Palestinians, c) they will accept a far-reaching deal based on the Arab Peace Initiative if presented properly to them and d), that they will support Bibi Netanyahu if he does make such a heroic decision,” said IPI’s Koby Huberman, during a conference call with reporters Thursday.

“If [Israelis] understand the underlying logic of involving the Arab states in the equation and moving toward the end of the Israeli-Arab conflict, then they would be willing to accept a package deal that is far-more reaching than if it was a just a bilateral agreement.”

More than half of the poll’s respondents said they consider themselves either “extreme right wing” (28 percent) or “soft right” (24 percent). About 30 percent define their political position as centrist and 16 percent as either “soft left” or “extreme left.”

First adopted by the Arab League in 2002, the Arab Peace Initiative promises Israel “full diplomatic and normal relations” with 57 Arab and Muslim states, in exchange for a “comprehensive peace agreement” with the Palestinians. Israelis leaders have so far reacted mostly coldly to the initiative, unhappy about some of its terms.

This week’s poll presented respondents with what Huberman called a “legitimate interpretation” of the Arab Peace Initiative, though not with its exact wording. Some of the terms presented to the respondents included the creation of a demilitarized Palestine, settlements remaining under Israeli sovereignty with only “minor territorial exchanges,” East Jerusalem as capital, no right of return for Palestinian refugees (with the with the exception of “a symbolic number”), security arrangements to protect against Iran and terror, and the promise that economic access to “300 million consumers and a billion residents [in the Arab and Muslim world] will improve the situation of Israeli citizens.”

Some 70 percent of respondents indicated a willingness to support these parameters. Only two of the nine components — the future of the holy sites, which would not be under any specific sovereignty but managed separately by each religious group, and the division of Jerusalem — received the support of slightly less than 50 percent.

Seventy-two percent of respondents believed that Israelis are interested in signing a peace treaty to end the conflict. However, 77 percent are convinced that the Palestinians are not interested in reaching such an agreement.

Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that any possible peace agreement would have to be submitted to a referendum. “It is important that every citizen have a direct vote on fateful decisions such as these that will determine the future of the state,” he said in July, when the ongoing US-brokered peace negotiations resumed last summer.

According to the poll, conducted by Israeli research institute New Wave Research, 73 percent of the Israeli public would support the prime minister if he were to present a peace treaty based on the nine components. Fifty-six percent said they would vote for him if he broke away from the Likud — most of whose senior members are opposed to a two-state deal with the Palestinians — and were to create a new centrist party.

“In summarizing the demographic variables, it is important to note that previous surveys reveal that younger respondents and women tended towards weak support for the principle of a regional agreement to end the conflict,” the poll’s authors noted. “This time, it is clear that support for peace agreements and willingness to support the components of the agreement among these two population groups is now similar to that what they are among the rest of the population.”

Read more: Poll: Three quarters of Israeli Jews would accept peace deal | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-three-quarters-of-israeli-jews-would-accept-peace-deal/#ixzz2udAMlYGO
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook

February 28, 2014 | 32 Comments »

Subscribe to Israpundit Daily Digest

Leave a Reply

32 Comments / 32 Comments

  1. yamit82 Said:

    So you believe there should be no morality in capitalism?? Greed Uber Alles?
    You Americans have made an art out of unconstrained Greed and justify it by attributing it to capitalism

    Not all of us!!! You know better then that. Some of us are very moral in our dealings.

  2. AbbaGuutuu Said:

    Don’t you think the money spent on big projects are from Petrol dollars?

    Mostly yes. What’s your point?

    Capitalism needs market wherever it finds.

    So you believe there should be no morality in capitalism?? Greed Uber Alles?

    You Americans have made an art out of unconstrained Greed and justify it by attributing it to capitalism.

    Wall st financed Hitler. American Industry built most of his war machine. Hitler made Man of the year twice in Time Magazine. Churchill praised him, Ford received medals from him etc. Who he was and what his goals were was no secret it’s all in Mein Kampf an autobiographical manifesto by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, in which he outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926.

    You can just about justify anything by attributing it to the needs of capitalism just like Communists can justify their ideology through Marx and the apparent fallacies in Capitalism.

    Had it not been for oil, the Arabs could not have great influence in the UN and other parts of the world.

    Mostly true in past years but they have an automatic voting block of some 53 (Muslim)countries. That’s about half the members of the UN. That’s effectivly an automatic majority add to them anti West and non aligned countries a slam dunk against Israel and even America in some cases despite the fact America pays almost 25% of the UN budget. America therefore has the power to counter any UN vote inimical to it’s wishes and interests by withholding funds to support the UN and to withold aid to any country voting against Americans interests.

  3. @ abbutuutuu I mis-typed the Federal Govt has NO PEROGATIVE OF THE DISPOSITION OF LAND IN TEXAS PROGRESSIVES BE DAMNED.

  4. yamit82 Said:

    Fact is Oil producers spend big on capital projects usually supplied by western companies and contractors and they have large populations making them targets for export sales by western companies. That’s the real incentives not oil and gas. Look at all those companies lining up to do Business with Iran days after they announced negotiations.

    Don’t you think the money spent on big projects are from Petrol dollars? Capitalism needs market wherever it finds. Had it not been for oil, the Arabs could not have great influence in the UN and other parts of the world.

  5. honeybee Said:

    Sugar Darlin, South Texas [south of San Antonio in the brush country] is swimming in oil! Enough to the needs of the USA FOR THE NEXT 50YRS. This is not counting the Dakotas and eastern Wyo. Fear not, “The Lord has salted the Earth with all your needs”.

    USA has more oil/natural gases more than any other country in the world, according to some reports I looked at. The problem is the policy of the so called progressives who honor animals/environments than human beings. The good Lord has also blessed Israel with oil. Because of Israel’s geographical proximity and favorable policies, I expect Europeans to beg Israel to sell them its oil. Then, their current prejudices against Israel may be partially reduced.

  6. honeybee Said:

    Obama and Kerry to much vodka!!!! “Hangover” has no past tense when your using it as a noun.

    Too much vodka could not keep the USSR together and help form utopia of the Marxists. Their plan against Israel would end like that of USSR and even worse.

  7. If that is what Netanyahu is planning to bank on, we have nothing to worry about.
    The poll factory is running full steam ahead and more such things can be expected to be sent around. In my opinion and am likely to be challenged on this, important blogs such as Ted’s should not lend credence and re print the poll flotsam.
    I would say that the count could be close to 51 – 49 against and it will be a hard battle to win. I will ask the reliable HS and college youngsters we drafted to poll before to run a poll on the subject in train stations and trains, bus stations and buses and supermarkets and let you know whats the count.

  8. @ AbbaGuutuu:

    Sugar Darlin, South Texas [south of San Antonio in the brush country] is swimming in oil! Enough to the needs of the USA FOR THE NEXT 50YRS. This is not counting the Dakotas and eastern Wyo. Fear not, “The Lord has salted the Earth with all your needs”.

  9. @ yamit82:

    Wish I could figure out how to underline & quote cause I agree with you for change!!!! That doesn’t mean Ive soften towards you so no spurious thoughts please!!Darlin

  10. When will the GOI stop wasting time and expending useless energy in the “peace (piece) process”. These efforts only give hope but no change,
    encouraging the Palis to keep up their hateful goal of destroying Israel. It is long past time for Israel to act in its own best interests
    and walk away from TSS discussions proclaiming the truth that the land belongs to the Jews. Furthermore to bolster their claim the GOI must
    extend sovereignty to Y & S as well as the temple mount.

  11. AbbaGuutuu Said:

    I can’t agree more! The animosity of the Arabs and those who support them because of mainly Arab oil confirm the truthfulness of your statement.

    There is no shortage of oil, anyone who wants to buy oil can, even on the Rotterdam spot market for cash. More new sources of oil coming on line all the time and the prices are kept artificially high by controlling supply. All governments are colluding in this fiction and real theft. Think of what benefit to world and especially developing and Western countries were the prices of oil cut by 2/3? Could even stimulate world economies to bounce out of the global recession.

    Since Europe and North America are the primary end user consumers of oil if they did not purchase, the producers would go under in a short time, They would be overthrown by their indigenous populations.

    Producers and end user consumers are a symbiotic relationship They need each other equally in order to survive.

    I never bought into so called Arab pressure and threats, I view it as an excuse so government can justify policies many if not most of their constituents might disagree with not to mention the enrichment financially many of the policy makers and their implementers. All of the oil producers are heavily invested in the west and those investments could be used as counter threat to those who might threaten embargoing oil and gas.

    Fact is Oil producers spend big on capital projects usually supplied by western companies and contractors and they have large populations making them targets for export sales by western companies. That’s the real incentives not oil and gas. Look at all those companies lining up to do Business with Iran days after they announced negotiations.

  12. honeybee Said:

    Kerry and Obama are to occupied with THE BEAR to worry about Middle-East peace.

    Due to a hungover from the BEAR, if they stay away from the Middle East, they won’t be missed.Right! 🙂

  13. NormanF Said:

    Of course, the real agenda behind this poll is meant to stampede Netanyahu into agreeing for Israel to commit national suicide on the Arabs’ terms. In politics, timing is everything and that is exactly the case here.

    Let’s not be fooled.

    I can’t agree more! The animosity of the Arabs and those who support them because of mainly Arab oil confirm the truthfulness of your statement.

  14. @ NormanF:

    I’m a bit of a cynic[Yami82 will confirm]. I will place Peace in the Middle-East in the wastebasket along with the war on Poverty,Universal Brotherhood Marital Bliss, easy to use computers and Teflon.

  15. @ NormanF:

    darling
    I am a bit of cynic [ Yamit82 will confirm]. I shall place “middle east peace” in the waste basket with the war on poverty and drug, universal brotherhood, marital joy “easy to use computers and Teflon!!!

  16. The Peace Index:
    January

    2014
    Date Published: 04/02/2014
    Survey dates: 27/01/2014 – 28/01/2014

    In return for a peace settlement, could Israel agree to the return of a certain number of Palestinian refugees? The survey shows widespread opposition in the Jewish public (80.5%) to the idea that, in return for a permanent peace settlement, Israel could agree to the return of even a limited number of Palestinian refugees

    Recognition of Israel as the state of the Jewish people: An overwhelming majority (77%) of the Jewish sample responded that it is important to them that as part of the settlement, the Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people. Out of these respondents, 41% say this is important because it entails recognition of the basic principle of Zionism; 29% consider such recognition as important because it will enable countering future demands to make Israel a state of all its citizens; while 19% view such recognition as a fair recompense for Israel’s recognition of the Palestinian state as the state of the Palestinian people. A segmentation of the responses by political camp shows that all along the political spectrum a majority ascribes importance to Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, but in different majorities: 63% of those who situate themselves on the left, 84% in the center, and 77% on the right. Particularly interesting is the discrepancy in reasons for favoring such recognition. Whereas those placing themselves on the left primarily view such recognition as a fair recompense for recognition of a Palestinian state, in the center and on the right the main consideration is that such Palestinian recognition means recognizing the basic principle of Zionism.

    Territorial swaps: The Jewish sample is divided in its reactions to the proposal of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman that, in the context of an agreement with the Palestinians, the large settlement blocs would be annexed to Israel while the Triangle and Arab-populated parts of the Galilee would be annexed to the Palestinian state. Forty-three percent support this proposal while a (small) majority of 51% opposes it. The rate of opponents on the right stands at 52.5%, in the center at 45.5%, while reaching 67% on the left. In any case, it appears that both supporters and opponents of the proposal are aware that it is not feasible, with the large majority (86% and 85%, respectively) seeing small chances that it would be accepted by the Palestinians or the Israeli Arabs.

  17. @ honeybee:

    Every one in Israel wants peace.

    With a loaded poll like this one, the price of peace is never mentioned.

    Polls like this are absolutely worthless in showing us a real world outcome because they leave out the other side of the equation – the Arab position.

    And Abu Bluff already said “No” in Paris to Secretary’s Kerry’s proposed framework. No matter what concessions Israel offers the Arabs, by any sane definition, in truth peace is impossible in the Middle East.

    You can throw this one in the wastebasket.

  18. @ yamit82:

    Yamit, see my just posted comments.

    The poll has to downplay and misrepresent Arab extremism and rejectionism to get those kind of numbers.

    It has to ignore the fact the Arabs will never offer Israel real peace.

    And there is nothing on offer that Israel can sign today that would end the conflict forever.

    Like with statistics, there are lies, damned lies and polls. And this poll is based on selling Israeli Jews a complete fantasy.

    You would love it too and so would I but there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell it will ever happen.

    And why don’t those pollsters ever ask the Arabs IF they’re willing make peace on those terms? Because they themselves know full well there exists NO popular constituency on the Arab side for peace, period.

    Of course, the real agenda behind this poll is meant to stampede Netanyahu into agreeing for Israel to commit national suicide on the Arabs’ terms. In politics, timing is everything and that is exactly the case here.

    Let’s not be fooled.

  19. The problem with this poll is it assumes the Arabs would be willing to offer Israel a peace deal it couldn’t refuse.

    In the real world of course, the Arabs reject ANY kind of compromise peace deal with Israel. Therefore its irrelevant if 75% of Israeli Jews back a peace deal every one knows will never happen.

    What it shows us like similar polls of this kind have shown us before, is one side wants peace and the other side doesn’t. And most Jews in Israel also love the flag and falafel. So what?

  20. Israel Policy Forum circulates seriously tainted poll
    Dr. Aaron Lerner – IMRA 27 February 2014

    The Israel Policy Forum. in cooperation with the Israeli Peace Initiative,
    released today a poll with the intention apparently of setting the tone for
    PM Netanyahu’s visit to Washington.

    The poll features serious errors. Among them:

    #1. It grossly misrepresents the Arab Peace Initiative, claiming that
    addressing the Palestinians alone would satisfy the requirements of the
    initiative when in fact the initiative requires also full withdrawal from
    the Golan Heights as well as withdrawal from part of the northern Galilee.

    #2. It presents “components” of a deal that either have been rejected by the
    Palestinians (refugee issue) or have a poorly defined element to them
    (“Security arrangements to protect against Iran and terror” and “Israel will
    conduct security arrangements with the Americans” – also no direct and
    explicit reference to Old City of Jerusalem.

    #3. Built into the responses to the question about PM Netanyahu are the
    assumptions made by the respondents regarding what kind of deal PM Netanyahu
    would accept. Thus no conclusions can be actually reached from the results
    without knowing what these assumptions are.

    ========================

    Research Report by New Wave-Nielsen Alliance Regarding Israelis’ views of
    the Regional Approach and a Peace Agreement based on the Arab Peace
    Initiative
    Commissioned by the Israeli Peace Initiative Group (“Yisrael Yozemet”)
    February 20, 2014
    http://www.israelpolicyforum.org/sites/ipforum2/files/IPI%20Group%20API%20Poll%20-%20Feb%2026,%20NewWave%20-%20Nielsen%20Research.pdf

    The current survey was conducted on February 6, 2014, a representative
    sample of 500, from a representative panel of some 100,000 Israelis
    connected to the internet. We note that this sample, based on data from the
    ONLINE PANEL, is not fully representative of Arabic- and Russian-speakers
    who do not know Hebrew or of the ultra-Orthodox population.

    In your opinion are the Palestinians interested in reaching an end to the
    conflict?”
    19% are sure/think that yes
    77% are sure that they are not/think that they are not

    Are the Israelis interested in reaching an end to the conflict
    73% sure that they are/think that they are
    20% are sure that they are not/think that they are not

    Without intervention by the Arab states and the Arab League the Palestinians
    will never reach an agreement with the Israelis on their own.
    55% agree/agree very much
    22% moderately agree
    11% do not agree

    [IMRA: this misrepresents the Arab Peace Initiative that requires Israel to
    withdraw from the Golan Heights and part of the northern Galilee as well as
    a Palestinian state]

    Support Arab Peace Initiative [but without any description of its
    components. (The only details included in the question stated that the two
    sides would have to make concessions in order to reach an end to the
    conflict and establishment of diplomatic relations with the Arab states and
    Islam.)
    63% sure/ think so
    37% sure that they are not/think that they would not be supportive

    Component
    1. Removal of the threat of economic boycott
    2. No right of return for refugees, with the exception of a symbolic
    number, with Israel’s agreement
    3. Security arrangements to protect against Iran and terror
    4. 300 million consumers and a billion residents will improve the
    situation of Israeli citizens
    5. Palestine will be demilitarized and Israel will conduct security
    arrangements with the Americans
    6. The US, the super powers and the Arab states will guarantee long- term
    support for the agreement
    7. Israel’s borders will include settlements, with only minor territorial
    exchanges
    8. Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem will be part of the Arab capital
    and Arab residents of East Jerusalem will be considered Palestinians
    9. The Holy Sites will not be under any specific sovereignty and will be
    managed separately by each religion

    Assuming that these components will be part of a package deal to end the
    conflict, to what extent would you be willing to support this agreement
    76% sure that/think that they would support this idea

    If Benjamin Netanyahu were to bring an agreement putting an end to the
    conflict to the public, to what extent would you support him.
    28% definitely would
    46% think they would

    If, as a result of opposition on the part of members of the Likud and
    HaBayit Hayehudi parties, Benjamin Netanyahu were forced to break up the
    Likud and establish a new party, what are the chances that they would
    support this new party?

    15% certain they would
    41% think they would
    ________________________________________
    IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis

  21. Most important thing in a poll is how you ask a question. You could almost get any answer you want by asking the question a certain way. My response to this poll is Big Wup or a yawn!