[S]upport for a two state solution also represents, according to almost every existing poll, the Palestinian majority position, as well as that of the Palestine Liberation Organization (universally recognized as “the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people”.)He's technically right, and he is very, very wrong.
When polls ask Palestinian Arabs is they support a two-state solution, indeed most answer yes.
However, when one pollster last year went a bit further and asked another question, it showed that the real answer is not "yes" but "as a means to destroy Israel."
The Israel Project commissioned a poll last year in the territories conducted by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion and asked which of these two statements more closely matched the opinions of those being polled:
The best goal is for a two-state solution that keeps two states living side by side. | The real goal should be to start with two states but then move to it all being one Palestinian state | |
|---|---|---|
Strongly agree | 12% | 22% |
Somewhat agree | 13% | 30% |
Total | 25% | 52% |
Total for those who responded | 32% | 68% |
In case you think that this question was too vague or unclear, here's one that leave little doubt of what Palestinian Arab intentions are:
Israel has a permanent right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people. | Over time Palestinians must work to get back all the land for a Palestinian state | |
Strongly agree | 4% | 27% |
Somewhat agree | 4% | 57% |
Total | 8% | 84% |
Total for those who responded | 9% | 91% |
This poll proved that a large majority of Palestinian Arabs do not believe in the "two state solution" in the way that most Westerners (and probably Ibish) do. They want to have a state now as a means to destroy Israel.
This poll was ignored by the mainstream media.
This fact is simply too inconvenient for wishful thinkers to accept. It causes massive cognitive dissonance in the "peace camp." It is exactly the opposite from what we have been told over and over again by politicians and pundits. So they ignore it.
But that is the truth, and any sober analysis of how peace is possible must take these facts in mind.
The PLO and PA also appear to share the goal of destroying Israel as we saw only this week.
Whenever people claim that the majority of Palestinians want a peaceful solution, they are either ignorant or lying.
I'm not sure which category describes Ibish.