Majority of Israelis Want IDF out of Lebanon As Quickly As Possible

An overwhelming majority of Israelis want the Israel Defense Force pulled out of Lebanon completely and as quickly as possible. But only a minority are willing to entertain the idea of giving up territory in exchange for peace.

These are the results of a series of polls taken a month ago by the Modi’ in Ezrachi Research Institute and published this week. The poll was conducted among 1,184 adult Jews, excluding members of kibbutzim and residents of the West Bank and the Golan Heights.

With respect to Lebanon, 63.3 percent of the respondents were in favor of immediate withdrawal. Another 15.3 percent believed the withdrawal should proceed according to the present three-stage formula. A withdrawal with no set timetable but implemented according to prevailing circumstances was favored by 16.8 percent.

Only 1.7 percent felt the IDF should remain in Lebanon permanently and 0.9 percent that it should remain there for at least another year.

FEW WANT TO GIVE UP WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS

No more than a third of the respondents were prepared to give up any Jewish settlements on the West Bank in exchange for peace; another third opposed even a temporary freeze on settlement activities in the territory.

The poll found only 8.3 percent of Israelis willing to give up all Jewish settlements for peace and 25.7 percent ready to give up some of them. A substantial 31.8 percent opposed any stoppage of settlement activity while 26.9 percent would freeze settlements at their present number.

Asked if they were ready to give up any areas of the West Bank for peace with Jordan, 43.5 percent opposed any territorial compromise, 33.6 percent would agree to a partial compromise and 16.6 percent thought Israel should give up the entire territory if peace was offered in return.