Peres fails to correct damaging misstatement

Aug ’07: Peace Index poll finds Israeli Jewish public opposes withdrawal, prisoner release, ,:

Dr. Aaron Lerner – IMRA
Absolutely amazing. The media can support withdrawal and the politicians/academics/White House etc. can continue with their mantra that the street supports marching Israel down the Roadmap gangplank and yet despite all this when the pollsters call a random sample of people on the phone and give them an opportunity to say what they think – oops.

And it isn’t just on the Israeli side. Ms. Rice can repeat a thousand times how she is absolutely positive that the Palestinian street is “moderate” etc. but when the pollsters ask Palestinians the proper questions (rather than questions engineered to produce a headline for poll sponsors who want to promote a given policy) – oops. CONTINUE

As a result MATTOT ARIM wrote the following letter which is self explanatory,

Dear Mr. President, (Shimon Peres)

URGENT — REQUEST THAT YOU PUBLISH A CLARIFICATION

In an interview with The Associated Press prior to your inauguration, you said that “We have to get rid of the territories,” insisting that this is the majority view in Israel today.

However, the most recent Peace Index, just published by Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar Hermann from Tel Aviv University, on the basis of a fresh poll (July 30- August 1st , 2007) reveals that

” Although a considerable Israeli Jewish minority currently supports an extensive Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank (except for the large settlement blocs), the majority does not support such a move even if it occurs in the framework of a peace agreement with the Palestinians.”

Please note that there was no majority for withdrawal even from less than “the territories” (i.e. the question excluded the large settlement blocs).

In summary, your inaugural interview with AP included a substantial inaccuracy.

Can you please publish an immediate acknowledgement of this error to the Israeli and foreign press. We also feel that an apology, for misleading political leaders worldwide as to the true state of public opinion here in Israel, and for (unintentionally, we assume) demeaning the credibility of Israel’s presidency, would be in order. We would be pleased to receive a copy of the acknowledgement and apology for our records.

Thank you so much for your kind and prompt attention to this urgent matter; you appreciate that this is of considerable immediate concern to many Israelis, Jews and other friends of Israel abroad who do not want to see rockets raining down on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion airport any time soon.

Sincerely,

Susie Dym, spokesperson for Mattot Arim an Israeli grassroots group working toward peace for peace since 1992

We Do Not Accept Contributions from the EU
mattot.arim@gmail.com
cellphone 0528301999

Needless to say the correction wasn’t forthcoming.