Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Poll: Record high support of peace talks (75%); 57% oppose US pressure

(Ynet).According to the monthly War and Peace Index, some 75% of the Jewish public in Israel support holding peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. This marks the highest support rate recorded on the War and Peace index in recent years.

Despite the optimistic numbers, the public is split vis-à-vis the demand to freeze construction in settlements in order to advance negotiations.

Some 47% think halting construction is imperative, while 50% do not see it as an important issue, and a majority of two thirds rejects the pressure mounted by the United States in the subject of halting settlement expansion.

Even among those who support negotiations, a majority of 57.5% oppose American pressure, compared with an expected 91% of those who object to renewing peace talks.

One year into US President Barack Obama's term in office, most Israelis deem his policies to be biased toward the Palestinian side.

Despite this sentiment, there has been a decrease in the number of people who believe Obama is pro-Palestinian, and an increase in those who think his position is neutral or even pro-Israeli,While 55% claimed the president is pro-Palestinian in May 2009, only 40% thought so in the most recent survey.

The Jewish public is evenly split vis-à-vis Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to immediately renew negotiations with the Palestinians. Forty six percent believe Netanyahu's intentions are honest, while 45% say they are not.