A majority of Israeli Jews supports the government’s decision to halt peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority following its unity pact with Hamas, a poll published on Wednesday revealed.
More than two-thirds of the Jewish-Israeli public support the government’s decision to end the U.S.-brokered talks with the Palestinian Authority, according to a monthly Peace Index poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University. Published on Wednesday, the concludes that 68 percent agree with the suspension of the peace negotiations.
Following Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’s recent decision to move forward with the Fatah-Hamas unity deal (Fatah, which Abbas chairs, is the ruling party in the PA), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a halt to the peace negotiations with the PA and declared:
“Abu Mazen [aka Mahmoud Abbas] needs to choose between peace with Israel and an agreement with Hamas, a murderous terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and which both the United States and the European Union define as a terrorist organization. As talks are still ongoing about extending the negotiations, Abu Mazen has chosen Hamas and not peace. Whoever chooses Hamas does not want peace.”
Close to 58 percent believe that the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas threatens Israel’s security.
Regarding Israel’s impressive achievements in diverse fields since the establishment of the Jewish State 66 years ago, 76 percent said they were satisfied.
Also according to the poll, notwithstanding the instability in the Middle East and the collapse of the peace negotiations, an overwhelming majority – 93 percent of religious-nationalists and 73 percent of secular Jews – are committed to living in the Jewish State and would not consider relocating to another country if given the opportunity.
In fact, 73 percent said they were optimistic about the future of the country, including 77 percent who identify with the political Right, 77 percent in the Center and 58 percent on the Left. Eighty-five percent were positive about their personal future in Israel as well.