Polls & Research

Israelis Ponder Harsh Stance with Neighbours

- Many adults in Israel believe their attitude towards Arabs and Palestinians should change, according to a poll by Maagar Mochot. 62 per cent of respondents believe Israelis should relate to their neighbours with considerably more hardness and not seek simple ways to resolve the Israeli-Arab conflict.

The former British mandate of Palestine was instituted at the end of World War I, to oversee a territory in the Middle East that formerly belonged to the Ottoman Empire. After the end of World War II and the Nazi holocaust, the Zionist movement succeeded in establishing an internationally recognized homeland. In November 1947, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the formation of a Jewish state.

In 1948, the British government withdrew from the mandate and the state of Israel was created in roughly 17 per cent of the mandate's land, with the remaining areas split under the control of Egypt and Transjordan. Since then, the region has seen constant disagreement between Israel and the Palestinians, represented for decades by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Wars broke out in the region in the second half of the 20th Century, involving Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Yesterday, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said he intends to meet with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas "in the coming days", adding, "I told him that I would be happy to meet with him." 60 per cent of respondents believe Israel's enemies do not want peace.

Polling Data

Do you agree or disagree with the assertion that the citizens of Israel should make a basic change in their relationship towards Arabs and Palestinians, and relate to them with considerably more hardness and not seek simple ways to resolve the Israeli-Arab conflict?

What position do you identify more with: