70 percent of Israelis more optimistic about peace after Arafat: poll

WAR.WIRE

70 percent of Israelis more optimistic about peace after Arafat: poll
JERUSALEM (AFP) Dec 08, 2004
A large majority of Israelis say they are more optimistic about the prospects of peace with the Palestinians following the death of Yasser Arafat last month, a new survey showed Wednesday.

A total of 70 percent of Israelis say they are "more optimistic", nine percent said that they "more pessimistic" and 20 percent said that Palestinian leader Arafat's death on November 11 would have no impact.

The same survey also found Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is the most popular Israeli politician among 35 percent of respondents, ahead of Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (17 percent) and main opposition Labour party leader Shimon Peres (eight percent).

The poll by researchers at Tel Aviv University questioned 581 people and has a 4.5 percent margin of error.