Friday, January 26, 2018
Elder of Ziyon
A joint poll by the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research (TSC), Tel Aviv University and the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) shows that Palestinians are against any possible solution to the conflict.
Their press release doesn't say it, but the poll itself does.
A series of options are given to Palestinians:
Mutual recognition of Palestine and Israel as the homelands of their respective peoples. The
agreement will mark the end of conflict, Israel will fight terror against Palestinians, and no further
claims will be made by either side. 56.9% oppose.
The independent Palestinian state which will be established in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
will be demilitarized (no heavy weaponry) 77.4% oppose
A multinational force will be established and deployed in the Palestinian state to ensure the
security and safety of both sides. Support or oppose? 60.5% oppose
The Palestinian state will have sovereignty over its air space, its land, and its water resources, but
Israel will maintain two early warning stations in the West Bank for 15 years. Support or oppose? 67.2% oppose
The Palestinian state will be established in the entirety of West Bank and the Gaza strip, except
for several blocs of settlement which will be annexed to Israel in a territorial exchange. Israel will
evacuate all other settlements. 62.7% oppose
The territories Palestinians will receive in exchange will be similar to the size of the settlement
blocs that will be annexed to Israel. Support or oppose? 70.6% oppose
East Jerusalem will be the capital of the Palestinian state and West Jerusalem the capital of the
Israel. Support or oppose? 71.6% oppose
In the Old City of Jerusalem, the Muslim and Christian quarters and al Haram al Sharif will
come under Palestinian sovereignty and the Jewish quarter and the Wailing Wall will come under
Israeli sovereignty. Support or oppose? 71.4% oppose
The only provision they supported was "right of return":
Palestinian refugees will have the right of return to their homeland whereby the Palestinian state
will settle all refugees wishing to live in it. Israel will allow the return of about 100,000 Palestinians as part of a of family unification program. All other refugees will be compensated. Support or oppose? 52.4% supported
For the majority that opposed a package deal of "demilitarization of the Palestinian state, equal territorial exchange, the family unification in Israel of 100,000 Palestinian refugees, East Jerusalem the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem the capital of Israel, and the end of the conflict," they were asked if any futher sweetening of the deal would change their minds:
If in addition to the above items of the permanent settlement package, Israel agreed to accept the
Arab peace initiative and in return all Arab countries supported this peace treaty? Support or oppose? 69.9% oppose.
The agreement states that the state of Palestine will have a democratic political system based on
rule of law, periodic elections, free press, strong parliament, independent judiciary and equal rights for religious and ethnic minorities as well as strong anti-corruption measures. 58.6% oppose.
The agreement includes formal guarantees by the US, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who will create a
joint commission to ensure proper implementation on both sides. 68.1% oppose.
The agreement states that Palestinians, including refugees, are allowed, if they wish, to live as
permanent residents inside Israel while maintaining their Palestinian citizenship, as long as they are law
abiding 70.4% oppose
The agreement allows the current Palestinian National Security Force to become an army with
light weapons but without heavy weapons 80.8% oppose
The agreement states that Israel recognizes the Nakba and the suffering of refugees, and
provides compensation to refugees? 58.1% oppose
Also, when given a choice of options (status quo, armed resistance, unarmed resistance, peace treaty) a plurality of Palestinians preferred armed resistance over peace, 38% to 26%.
The only thing that Palestinians agree on is that they do not want peace.
The poll didn't ask the obvious question, because the people behind it don't want the world to know the answer, but the real question should have been: Do you hope to see Israel destroyed and replaced by Palestine?
Other questions that would illuminate how Palestinians feel might include "would you support an Iranian nuclear attack against Tel Aviv, even if it would kill thousands of Arabs in Jaffa?"
These polls dance around the real feelings of the Palestinians because the answers would far more explicitly show that they have no desire for a real, permanent peace with Israel. Yet one only has to look at these (unpublicized) results from the poll to see that this is exactly what they feel.
Don't expect the media to notice, though.
