Three-quarters of Israeli oppose Palestinian state
A poll has found that 75% of Israeli Jews oppose the creation of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders if it means withdrawing Israeli troops from the Jordan Valley.
The survey, conducted by a rightwing thinktank headed by a political ally of the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, makes for stark reading, contradicting previous polls showing up to 60% of Israelis in favour of a two-state solution.
However, the poll confirms the argument that Israeli support for a Palestinian state is dramatically lower when they are presented with specific details rather than being asked to support the basic idea.
The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, is making a concerted diplomatic push for a UN security council resolution seeking an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories by November 2016.
Of the 60% of those polled who described themselves as rightwing, opposition to a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines rose to almost 92%, while 72% of those who identified as leftwing would support it.
That opposition rises further still if the issue of dividing Jerusalem is included, with 40% of leftwingers opposing the division of Jerusalem.
The poll was commissioned by a thinktank run by a former policy advisor to Netanyahu and initially published in the free newspaper owned by the Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson, one of the Israeli prime minister's biggest backers.
Leftwing commentators suggested the polling was likely to be an accurate reflection of Israeli public opinion.
“The poll published in Israel Hayom is obviously meant to serve Netanyahu's agenda,” said Mairav Zonszein, writing for the +972 website.
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