January 10, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Israel support escalating the policy of targeted killings of those who fire Qassam rockets into Israeli territory or their dispatchers, according to the Peace Index Project by the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research and the Evens Program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution of Tel Aviv University. 81 per cent of respondents favour this course of action.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Israel support escalating the policy of targeted killings of those who fire Qassam rockets into Israeli territory or their dispatchers, according to the Peace Index Project by the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research and the Evens Program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution of Tel Aviv University. 81 per cent of respondents favour this course of action.

Fatah candidate Mahmoud Abbas won the January 2005 presidential ballot in the Palestinian Territories with 62.32 per cent of all cast ballots. In January 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council election, securing 74 of the 112 seats at stake. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh officially took over as prime minister in March. The Israeli government believes Hamas is directly responsible for the deaths of 377 citizens in a variety of attacks, which include dozens of suicide bombings.

In February 2007, Hamas and Fatah leaders reached an accord which set the guidelines for a power-sharing Palestinian administration, headed by Hamas, which would "respect" past peace agreements with Israel. In June, amid a wave of violent clashes between Palestinian supporters of the Hamas and Fatah factions, Hamas militants seized control of Gaza. Abbas issued a decree to form a 12-member emergency government—based in the West Bank—and expelled Hamas from the administration. Fatah member Salam Fayyad was appointed as prime minister by Abbas.

The Islamic Jihad organization has been launching Qassam rockets into Israel from Gaza almost daily since Hamas took control of the territory. Israel holds Hamas responsible for the attacks for allowing the Islamic Jihad and other groups to act against Israel. On Dec. 18, 12 people died in an air strike launched by Israel against Islamic Jihad. The organization’s general armed commander—Majed al-Harrazin—was killed in the operation.

On Jan. 6, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "Defence minister (Ehud) Barak has ordered the security forces to intensify the Israeli response. (...) Our security forces will continue to both respond and take the initiative."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose escalating the policy of targeted killings of those who fire Qassams or their dispatchers?

Support	81.0%
Oppose	11.5%
Not sure	7.5%

Source: Peace Index Project / Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research / Evens Program in Mediation and Conflict Resolution of Tel Aviv University
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 595 Israeli adults, conducted on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.