(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Israel have second thoughts about the recent agreement their government reached with Hamas, according to a poll by the Dahaf Institute published in Yediot Ahronot. 78 per cent of respondents believe the deal should have been conditioned on the release of Gilad Shalit.

On Jun. 28, 2006, Israel launched an operation in the Palestinian Territories in response to a joint raid carried out by Palestinian militants on a military post outside of the Gaza Strip, in which two Israeli soldiers were killed, and one more, Shalit, was captured. Shalit remains captive to this day. For months, Hamas has stated that Shalit will only be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

In February 2007, Hamas and Fatah leaders reached an accord which set the guidelines for a power-sharing Palestinian administration, headed by Hamas. In June, amid a wave of violent clashes between 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 launched 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. In January, Israel completely sealed off its borders with the Gaza Strip and launched military operations in Gaza.

Last month, Israeli and Palestinian delegates began to negotiate a ceasefire in Egypt. On Jun. 17, Egypt announced that a calm agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas. The deal took effect on Jun. 19.

On Jun. 19, former Israeli prime minister and Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the decision, saying, "I can understand the disappointment Gilad Shalit’s family must feel. I wouldn’t have agreed to this make-believe ceasefire, but since the government obviously did, one has to wonder why it didn’t prerequisite his release. It’s inconceivable."

Polling Data

Should the calm agreement with Hamas have been conditioned on the release of Gilad Shalit?

Source: Dahaf Institute / Yediot Ahronot
Methodology: Interviews with 500 Israeli adults, conducted on Jun. 19, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.

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