65% of JPost.com readers want ground op

54% of the 5,500 who took survey say Israel's main goal in Gaza operation should be to topple Hamas.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
gaza idf tank mud 248 ap (photo credit: AP [file])
gaza idf tank mud 248 ap
(photo credit: AP [file])
Over sixty-five percent of JPost.com readers support launching a ground operation in Gaza, according to the results of a non-representative site survey answered by over 5,500 respondents. Nearly 23% rejected the possibility of a ground operation, arguing that it is not worth risking soldiers' lives while the IDF can continue using its air force. 12% supported a limited incursion into Gaza. About 54% said Israel's main goal in the operation should be to topple the Hamas regime and take over the Strip, while 25% said Hamas should be toppled but only with a clear exit strategy in mind. Nearly 12% said the main goal should be to bring about a new cease-fire with zero rocket fire at southern Israel, while 9% said they believed the main goal should be to "teach Hamas a lesson and retake the weapons-smuggling area of the Philadelphi corridor," which separates Egypt from Gaza. As the elections in Israel loom around the corner, we asked readers whether their opinion of Defense Minister and Labor leader Ehud Barak had changed following the successful start of the operation. Over 42% said yes, while the rest said it hadn't changed. Regarding the foreign press, 79% said coverage of the operation was anti-Israel while 21% were of the opinion that the coverage greatly improved, compared with previous anti-Israel bias. In terms of assessing Israel's PR efforts during the operation, 33% said it was "highly favorable, the lessons from Lebanon War have indeed been implemented," 51% said it was "favorable," while 16% said Israel's PR was still poor. Asked if the Gaza operation could lead to a flare-up in the North, 25% said yes, 25% said no, and 50% evaluated the chances of such a scenario occurring at 50-50.