Just over half the Israeli population is willing to give back to Syria some or all of the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, according to a recent survey.
The survey, conducted by Tel Aviv University’s Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, also revealed that most Israelis are interested in peace but mistrust Arab intentions.
The poll, based on a representative sample of Israelis excluding those living on kibbutzim or in the administered territories, showed that Israelis regard the present moment as presenting more possibilities for peace than at any time since the Persian Gulf War.
Government policy in the territories is perceived as being too weak, and the public seems highly concerned about personal security.
The poll revealed that 33 percent of Israelis are ready to return a small portion of the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, 15 percent are prepared to give up a large part and 5 percent are willing to return the entire territory, which was annexed in the early 1980s.
Forty-six percent of those polled said they are opposed to returning any part of the Golan.
An overwhelming 89 percent expressed strong support for continued participation in the peace process, while 11 percent were opposed.
The survey showed that Israeli public opinion regarding the future status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has become more moderate.
Twenty-nine percent favored the establishment of some sort of Palestinian autonomy, 20 percent were in favor of returning most of the territories to Jordan in exchange for a peace agreement, and 13 percent were ready to accept the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the territories within the framework of a peace agreement.
However, 13 percent favored the annexation of the territories and the transfer of Arabs out of the area, 13 percent were in favor of full annexation and 6 percent favored the preservation of the status quo.
Fifty-eight percent said the Arabs are interested in peace, while 95 percent are of the opinion that Israel is interested in peace.
Eighty-five percent expressed concern about being harmed by Arabs during the course of their daily lives.
The view that the intifada and terrorism can be eliminated via military action was supported by 75 percent of the respondents.
About 60 percent said the government’s policy in the territories is too weak, 30 percent said the policy is correct and about 10 percent charged it is too harsh.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
