Poll: 80% of both peoples want 2 states

But 'One Voice' survey finds Israelis, Palestinians diverge on critical points of Jerusalem, refugees.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
one voice 248.88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
one voice 248.88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Eighty percent of both Israelis and Palestinians support the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to a survey conducted by Mina Tsemach of the Dahaf Institute and Irish scholar Colin Irwin in the wake of Operation Cast Lead and published by Army Radio Wednesday. The poll was commissioned by the One Voice organization, an NGO of Israelis and Palestinians which seeks to promote the voices of moderates on both sides of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. One Voice chairman Irit Admoni-Perlman said the data must be presented to the incoming Israeli government as well as to public figures, "so that they're aware of what the Israelis and Palestinians think." The poll showed both peoples were strongly opposed to the notion of one bi-national state. It also showed a will on both sides to cooperate on economic and security issues, but found that Israelis and Palestinians still disagree on Jerusalem and the holy places, the Palestinian refugee and other national issues. 77% of Israelis were against any partition of Jerusalem and both sides converged mostly in their vehement opposition to declaring it an international city. While almost all Palestinians polled cited the establishment of an independent state as their top priority, this was only 11th on the priority list with Israelis. Conversely, the security of Israeli residents was highly important with Israelis but only 12th on the Palestinians' priority list. The poll was conducted between the end of Operation Cast Lead in mid-January and the general election in Israel on February 10. Its results were set to be presented at a press conference in Ramallah on Wednesday. The One Voice movement also plans to hold public gatherings in which controversial subjects will be discussed in the coming year, in order, it said, to influence leaders of both sides to accept the will of the people.