. | . |
Half of Israelis back recognition of Palestinian state Jerusalem (AFP) April 29, 2011 Nearly half of the Israeli public believes the government should recognise a Palestinian state as long as Israel can keep the major settlement blocs, a survey published on Friday showed. According to a poll published in the top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper, 48 percent of respondents were in favour of Israel backing a Palestinian state -- on condition they could keep the five main settlement blocs in the West Bank. But another 41 percent expressed the exact opposite view -- that in light of a Palestinian plan to seek UN recognition for their state this autumn, Israel should "vehemently oppose" the move, even if it meant a head-on confrontation with the United Nations. More than half the respondents -- 53 percent -- said they believed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should present a diplomatic initiative to end the conflict, including "significant concessions" when he addresses the US Congress next month. But another 42 percent opposed the idea of a plan including significant concessions, the figures showed. The poll was conducted earlier this week before the surprise announcement of a reconciliation deal between the rival Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, which has caused consternation in Israel where it is viewed as a development likely to harm peace. Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians collapsed late last year over a dispute about ongoing Jewish settlement activity. Following the end of the talks, Abbas has been pursuing a diplomatic strategy aimed at securing UN recognition for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital, in a move likely to take place in September.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links
Arab spring, stalled peace talks helped end Palestinian rift Cairo (AFP) April 28, 2011 Democratic upheavals in Arab countries and the failure of US-sponsored negotiations with Israel helped bring about a unity deal between feuding Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, their officials said on Thursday. The two sides have been bitterly opposed since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip in 2007, reducing Fatah's powerbase to the West Bank, and Egyptian-mediated efforts to end the rift rep ... read more |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |