Poll: We're A Bit Mixed Up

This poll again indicates the problems with "peace-seeking Israelis".

On the one hand we want peace.

On the other we want security.

On the one hand we can be compromising and concessionist.

On the other hand we want to be strong and unyielding.

For example:-

To freeze or to melt? As the September date for ending the construction freeze in the settlements draws near, a not-large majority of the public (52%) favors renewed construction, on the ground that continuing the freeze means capitulation to the Americans and the Palestinians. Some 41.5% favor continuing the freeze, on the ground that it will help advance the negotiations with the Palestinians and improve Israel’s image in the international community. A segmentation of the preferences on this issue by voting in the latest Knesset elections finds that among voters for Meretz (88.2%), Labor (62.5%), and Kadima (60.2%) there is a clear preference for continuing the freeze, while among voters for the rest of the parties, and especially Shas (81.2%), Yisrael Beiteinu (73.8%), and Torah Judaism (67.8%), the definite preference is for ending it. Nevertheless, the rate of those who expect the government to continue the freeze (45%) is higher than that of those who expect it to resume building (37%).

and

A large majority (71.5%) of the Israeli Jewish public supports holding talks with the Palestinians but only 32.3% believe they will lead to peace. This wide gap between high support for talks and low belief in their results has characterized public opinion on this issue consistently since the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993. The Israeli Arab public’s rate of support for talks is even higher – 83.7%, and so is the rate of those who think they will bear fruit in the foreseeable future – 58.7%. For this public too, though, the rate of supporters is considerably higher than of those who believe the talks will pass the test of results.

A bit mixed up, no?


More there:-

Also on the question of how to conduct the talks, there is a high level of unanimity: a clear majority (62%) of the Israeli Jewish public supports direct dialogue, with only 14% preferring indirect dialogue as in the proximity talks mediated by U.S. envoy George Mitchell. Some 14.5% think it makes no difference how the talks are conducted, since they will not bear fruit in any case.