Most Palestinians Now Oppose Two-state Solution, New Research Reveals

[geek tragedy]

The headline figure is actually statistical noise--within the margin of error. But some of the other numbers speak to a situation that's no longer tenable.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.677005

Even more worryingly for diplomats, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed (65 percent) said they did not believe the two-state solution was any longer practical because of Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank.

...

Additionally, the developments indicated in this poll might have also been triggered by anger at the Arab world as the overwhelming majority believes that Arabs no longer care about the fate of the Palestinians," the director of the poll, Khalil Shikaki, wrote in a commentary.

As well as increased doubts about the prospects for a peaceful resolution with the Israelis, there is deep-seated mistrust of Abbas and the Palestinian leadership and growing support for a return to armed conflict with Israel.

Nearly two-thirds of Palestinians (65 percent) want Abbas, who has been president for 10 years, to resign. Furthermore, satisfaction with his performance as president has fallen from 44 percent three months ago to 38 percent.

It's asking a lot for people to support a plan that's physically impossible, and for which there is no partner on the other side of the negotiating table anyways.

The Israelis have always assumed if they beat the Palestinians down long enough and hard enough, they'd eventually just become okay with living inside and under the heel of apartheid state. It's not turning out that way.

[jonno99]

1. Interesting statement:

"...anger at the Arab world as the overwhelming majority believes that Arabs no longer care about the fate of the Palestinians,..."

From what I've observed over the years the "Arab world" seems to care about the Palestinians only to the extent that they can use their plight as a reason to heap further condemnation upon Israel.

One would think if that the Arabs sincerely cared about the Palestinians that they would have (decades ago) invited these poor folks into their own countries.

So, why haven't they?

[oberliner]

2. Interestingly, they also oppose a one-state solution (by a much larger percentage)

From the poll:

"Only 30% support, and 69% oppose, a one-state solution in which Arabs and Jews enjoy equal rights"

Another interesting tidbit:

When asked about the long term aspiration of the PA and the PLO, 64% said that it is to recover all or parts of the land occupied in 1967 while 26% said it was to conquer the state of Israel or conquer the state of Israel and kill most of the Jews.

That would be one out of every four Palestinians who believe the long term aspiration of the Palestinian Authority is to conquer Israel and kill most of the Jews.

[geek tragedy]

3. No, you're misreading that.

26% said it was to conquer the state of Israel or conquer the state of Israel and kill most of the Jews.

So, if 24% said the goal of the PLO was to "conquer the state of Israel" and 2% said it was to conquer the state of Israel and kill most of the Jews, that would be consistent with what they reported.

Very clumsy wordsmithing there.

Note that the converse--conquer all of the Palestinian lands and permanently occupy them--is the de facto position of Israel as a whole.

The only difference between the Israeli and the Palestinians in this regard is that the Israelis are still lying to themselves by saying that they support a two-state solution even though they oppose any concessions necessary to create a Palestinian state and the fact that a Palestinian state is a physical impossibility at this point.

The Palestinians do not have the Israelis' luxury of ignoring reality.

[oberliner]

4. Is the full poll available somewhere?

I can only find the press release.

Seeing the poll questions and answers in their entirety would be able to clarify.