Three in four Israeli Jews favor the idea of transferring their Arab compatriots to the jurisdiction of a future Palestinian state, a poll found.
According to a survey commissioned this week by the Knesset Channel, 76 percent of Jews in Israel believe all or selected Israeli Arab communities should be included within the borders of “Palestine” when it arises. Some of those favoring the idea proposed that Arab citizens deemed loyal to Israel be given the option of staying.
Twenty-four percent of respondents were opposed to the proposed “transfer.”
Arabs comprise 20 percent of the Jewish state’s population, and long-simmering racial tensions have been pushed to the boiling point by the past eight years of Palestinian violence. Many in the Israeli Arab sector openly identify with the Palestinians, including their radical anti-Zionist elements like Hamas.
Israeli demographers also note that the relatively higher birthrate in Arab communities poses a long-term threat to the Jewish majority.
The Knesset Channel poll had 668 respondents and a 3.7 percent margin of error.
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