Most Palestinians support UN statehood bid, poll finds

65% of Palestinians support PA plan to seek recognition of state; 51% of Israelis think UN will accept Palestinian state.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
United Nations Security Council chamber 311 (photo credit: Patrick Gruban/WikiCommons)
United Nations Security Council chamber 311
(photo credit: Patrick Gruban/WikiCommons)
Most Palestinians support the PA plan to seek statehood in the United Nations in September, according to a poll published on Tuesday by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) in Ramallah.
According to the report, "65% of the Palestinians (surveyed) believe they should go to the UN in September to obtain recognition for their state."
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The poll, which asked Palestinians and Israelis about their expectations of the upcoming Palestinian statehood bid in September, also reported that "58% of the Palestinians support the Saudi (Arab peace) initiative and 38% oppose it, while 29% of the Israelis support (it) and 61% oppose it."
The Arab Peace Initiative calls for Israel to retreat to the pre-1967 lines, including Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Gaza and the West Bank, in exchange for recognition of and normalization of relations with Israel by all Arab states, according to the PSR report.
Nearly two-thirds of Palestinians (57%) and half of Israelis (51%) believe that the United Nations General Assembly will vote to accept the Palestinian state in September. However, three-quarters of Palestinians (76%) and two-thirds (65%) of Israelis think that the United States will veto its acceptance.
Additionally, "almost 60% of Israelis think Israel should accept the decision if indeed the UN recognizes a Palestinian state, and either start negotiations with the Palestinians about its implementation or not allow any change on the ground by the Palestinians, (while) 20% believe Israel should oppose the decision and intensify the construction in the settlements," according to the report.
The PSR report also noted that the March 2011 poll results showed a "similar level of support for the plan (Arab Peace Initiative) among both Israelis and Palestinians."