A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Imaginary Polling

In today's New York Times Week In Review, Steven Erlanger writes:

"Settlers now account for some 7 percent of Israelis, and about half of those settlers are religiously and ideologically motivated. Many Israelis admire them, even though 72 percent of Israelis consistently say they are willing to dismantle nearly all settlements to reach a real peace."

The 7 percent number - which comes to about 400,000 people - includes those living in post-1967 Jerusalem neighborhoods like Ramot, Ramat Eshkol and French Hill, which nobody in Israel considers to be settlements. There is close to zero percent support for dismantling these neighborhoods.

As for the communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, I have never seen a poll in which 72 percent of Israelis expressed support for dismantling "nearly all settlements." There may be support of around 72 percent for dismantling the Gaza settlements and many isolated settlements that are deep in Samaria, but at the same time there is large-scale support for permanent retention of the Gush Etzion and western Samaria blocs, as well as Maaleh Adumim, Givat Zeev and other communities near the '67 borders.

On a related note, the widespread idea that only a small number of Israelis oppose the Sharon plan to destroy the Gaza settlements is false. In a poll taken last week, in which Israeli Arabs were included, 54 percent support the Sharon plan, 31 percent are opposed, and 15 percent are undecided.
posted on 2/13/2005