Poll Reveals Skepticism of Kerry Peace Efforts, Palestinian Opposition to Recognizing Israeli Identity
by JNS.org
JNS.org – A large percentage of Israelis and Palestinians view peace efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with skepticism, says a new poll conducted by Harry S. Truman Institute at Hebrew University and the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.
The poll also revealed that while 57 percent of the Israeli respondents supported mutual recognition of Israeli and Palestinian national identity in a final status agreement and 37 percent opposed that step, only 42 percent of Palestinians supported mutual recognition and 56 percent were against it.
According to the poll, only 27 percent of Palestinians and 10 percent of the Israelis think the two sides “will return to negotiations and violence will stop,” while 34 percent of Israelis and 31 percent of Palestinians “believe that negotiations will resume but some armed attacks will continue as well.”
Forty-four percent of Israelis and 15 percent of Palestinians think that the two sides will not return to negotiations and that “armed attacks will not stop.” A strong majority of both Israelis (68 percent) and Palestinians (69 percent) do not think there will be a Palestinian state within five years.
Since taking office in February, Kerry has made five visits to Israel and the Palestinian territories in a bid to restart peace talks. After concluding his most recent trip on Sunday, Kerry expressed disappointment in the conduct of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.