By Ted Belman. Given this poll what is there to talk about in negotiations. Obama is talking to both sides about restarting negotiations. France wants to hold an international conference. International leaders continue to argue that the region’s unrest make it imperative to make peace. But their arguments are without foundation. The Israelis have it right. Bibi stay strong. Don’t abandon the people.
By GIL HOFFMAN The Jerusalem Post Originally posted June 8/11.
Large majorities recognize importance of keeping J’lem under Israeli sovereignty, oppose transferring Temple Mount to Palestinian control.
Seventy-seven percent of Israelis oppose returning to pre-1967 lines
the poll reads “with minor border adjustments”] even if it would lead to a peace agreement and declarations by Arab states of an end to their conflict with Israel, a poll revealed Monday.
A Dahaf Institute poll of a sample 500 Israelis taken last week was
commissioned by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs to coincide with Monday night’s presentation of Bar-Ilan University¹s Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies’ Guardian of Zion Award to JCPA’s head, former ambassador to the UN Dore Gold.
The poll found that large majorities of 85 percent and 75%, respectively, recognized the importance of maintaining a united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty within the framework of any final peace deal and opposed transferring the Temple Mount to Palestinian control even if the Western Wall were to remain in Israeli hands.
Regarding the Jordan Valley, 84% believe Israel must maintain control of the strategic border with Jordan even in the framework of a final peace agreement.
The JCPA has been a major advocate of ensuring that Israel keep defensible borders as the United Nations decided after the Six Day War.
The poll found that 60% of Israelis believed that defensible borders would ensure security more than a peace agreement would, and 82% considered security concerns more important than a peace deal.
In comparison with polls sponsored by JCPA in 2005, Israelis have become less convinced the Palestinians will recognize the right of Israel to exist and give up their demand for a Palestinian right of return to within Israel’s final borders
1 in 5 Israelis are Arabs so this means like 90% of Israeli Jews oppose a return to the pre-1967 borders. The problem is Israel’s political class could care less what they think.
Only 77%? What’s the Muslim population of Israel? 20%?
The region’s unrest is exactly why Israel cannot make peace.