Israelis, Palestinians: 2 states in 5 years unlikely

Joint poll finds that the majority of both sides view the chances of establishing Palestinian state within next 5 years low.

By SHARON UDASIN
Palestinian flags waving in West Bank 370 (photo credit: Reuters)
Palestinian flags waving in West Bank 370
(photo credit: Reuters)
Most Israelis and Palestinians view the chances of establishing an independent Palestinian state within the next five years as low or nonexistent, a new joint Israeli-Palestinian poll reported.
Meanwhile, the majority of Israelis oppose military intervention in Syria and an unaided strike on Iran, the latter of which they agree could spark the eruption of a major regional war, according to the survey.
The joint poll, supported by the Ford Foundation in Cairo and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in Ramallah and Jerusalem, was conducted by the Hebrew University’s Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace and the Palestinian Center for Policy.
Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, 71 percent of Israelis and 68% of Palestinians surveyed viewed the chances for establishing an independent Palestinian state within the next five years to be minimal.
Nonetheless, 60% of the Israelis and 65% of the Palestinians opposed a one-state solution with equal rights between Arabs and Jews, according to the poll. Only 36% of Israelis and 31% of Palestinians supported such a solution.
The poll also looked at a newly published plan that would involve Israel taking unilateral steps regarding the West Bank – including expressing willingness to return to negotiations, reneging any claims of sovereignty east of the West Bank security barrier, ending construction in settlements and in east Jerusalem neighborhoods and bringing back settlers east of the security barrier with compensation.
Under this plan, the IDF would remain in the West Bank until a final status agreement would be reached, and the plan could take place either unilaterally or with Palestinian cooperation, according to the survey information.
In response, 44% of Israelis surveyed supported the plan and 46% opposed it, while 35% of Palestinians backed the plan and 59% were against it.
Of those polled, 38% of Israelis and 34% of Palestinians thought the chances that the current Israeli administration would implement this plan are low, and 30% of Israelis and 36% of Palestinians felt the chances were nonexistent.
With regards to violence in Syria, 73% of Israelis polled opposed Israeli intervention there, while 19% supported providing humanitarian assistance and granting political asylum to rebels. Only 2% favored supplying weapons and ammunition, and 4% supported active intervention of the IDF there.
As far as the possibility of a military strike on Iran is concerned, 72% of the Israelis surveyed thought that if Israel carried out a full-blown attack on Iran, a major regional war would occur, and 22% did not think that such a consequence would happen. Only 19% said they supported a strike conducted by Israel alone, without the cooperation of the United States. However, 51% of the people polled said they would support cooperation between the US and Israel in bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities. Of the respondents, 26% opposed any strike whatsoever.
The Palestinian population sampled in the poll included 1,200 adults interviewed face-to- face in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in 120 randomly selected locations June 21-23, with a 3% margin of error, according to the study.
The Israeli population sampled included 602 adults interviewed via phone in Hebrew, Arabic or Russian June 17-21, with a 4.5% margin of error, the poll reported.