(Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies - Tel Aviv University) According to a Jaffee Center survey conducted in January-February 2004, a clear majority of the Israeli Jewish population - 56% - support the intentions of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to disengage the country from the Palestinians. The support, however, drops to 50% when the plan is not associated specifically with the prime minister and when it is contingent on dismantling of settlements. Withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is favored by a similar percentage: 50% of the public feels that it is imperative to evacuate the settlements in Gaza immediately and to withdraw unilaterally from the area. In comparison, support for an agreement with the Palestinians along the lines of the Geneva initiative is quite limited. Regarding "the Geneva plan in the framework of which Israel would return to the 1967 lines with reciprocal border modifications," 76% reject the plan while 24% support the proposal.
2004-06-04 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive