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Peace Index - 2004

 

 
Syria Index Oslo Index Negotiations Index

 

January 38.1 33.1 50.8
February   31.8 48.7
March    34.1 48 
April    35.8 51.1 
May   34.2 53.4
 June    38.9 54.1
July   38.4 50.0
August   37.0 53.3
September   36.9 51.6
October    38.2 52.7
November 40.8 36.7 56.7
December      

What is your opinion on the agreement that was signed in Oslo between Israel and the PLO (Agreement of Principles)?

  Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Heavily in favor x 10.0                    
Somewhat in favor x 10.8     22.3 38.9            
In the middle x 15.5                    
Somewhat [Considerably] opposed x 15.3     42.7              
Heavily opposed x 35.1                    
Don't know/no opinion x 13.3                    

Do you believe or not believe that the Oslo Agreement between Israel and the PLO will bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinians in the coming years?

  Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Greatly believe x 3.4                    
Somewhat believe x 6.3     30.6              
In the middle x 9.3                    
Somewhat don't believe x 16.8                    
Certainly don't believe x 55.3                    
Don't know/no opinion x 8.9                    

What is your position regarding the carrying out of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority?

  February May June
Greatly support 33.6    
Considerably support 29.5 51.2 54.1
Considerably oppose 9.6    
Greatly oppose 22.8    
Do not know 4.5    

Do you believe or not believe that negotiations between Israel and the PLO will bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinians in the coming years?

  February
Greatly believe 7.7
Considerably believe 24.0
Considerably do not believe 21.0
Completely do not believe 43.0
Do not know 4.3

The international court in the Hague will decide soon on the matter of the separation fence. Do you think that the court in the Hague will be objective in its considerations or will it be biased in favor of the Arab or Israeli position?

  February
Objective 14.7
Pro-Arab 68.6
Pro-Israel 5.9
Don't know 10.8

There is a disagreement over the question of if Israel should or should not have appeared before the international court at the Hague to present its arguments. There are those who maintain that Israel should have appeared as Israel's not appearing hurt its international image, while those opposing Israel's appearance say it is clear that the ruling will be against Israel and thus it should not have cooperated.

  February
Should have appeared 41.8
Shouldn't 52.3
Don't know 5.9

Do you support or oppose the erection of the separation fence in principle?

  February June
Support greatly 53.4  
Support considerably 30.1 78
Oppose considerably 5.9 16
Oppose greatly 7.3  
Don't know 3.3 6

Do you believe that the unilateral erection of the fence, wall or other means of physical separation by Israel can prevent, or at least significantly reduce terror attacks?

  February June
Prevent 16.5  
Significantly reduce 70.0 62
Don't believe can significantly reduce terror 12.2 26
Will increase   4.5
Don't know 1.4 7.5

As you know, there is a dispute over the route of the separation fence between those who believe that the separation fence should be in accordance with the Green Line and those who maintain that the Green Line should not be the sole determinant in the setting of the location of the fence, but instead the route should follow security and other considerations of the Government of Israel. Which view do you agree with?

  February
Green Line 20.2
Government of Israel decides 66.1
Oppose fence in principle 6.5
Don't know 7.3

As is reported from time to time, the route of the fence as it is makes it hard for many Palestinians to carry out their daily lives, this including tending crops and traveling between places in the West Bank. To what extent should Israel take into account the suffering caused the Palestinians in the setting of the route of the fence?

  February
Very little 36.0
Little 27.7
Considerable 20.4
Very great 10.6
Don't know 5.3

From time to time the argument is raised that the separation fence has not advanced at the desired pace out of political considerations. According to this claim, the Government isn't interested in erecting the fence because it fears that this will set the border between Israel and the Palestinian state that will be established in the future. Do you agree?

  February
Agree greatly 20.4
Agree considerably 30.6
Considerably disagree 16.5
Greatly disagree 14.5
Don't know 17.9

In your opinion, Israeli citizens who greatly oppose the erection of the separation fence or the route of the fence have the right to express their protest in legal ways, such as demonstrations with a license, petitions, etc. or under current conditions there is no place for protest even if done in a legal way?

  February
Legal protest 70.6
Don't protest 25.9
Don't know 3.5

And what is your position regarding protest by illegal means against the fence today such as protests without a license or attempts to tear down parts of the fence?

  February
Illegal protest OK 5.9
Not OK 91.6
Don't know 2.5

The prime minister proclaimed that if the Palestinians do not cooperate in returning to diplomatic negotiations on the basis of the Road Map Israel will carry out a unilateral policy of disengagement, namely a series of actions to set a separation line, including withdrawal from Palestinian cities and evacuation of some of the settlements.

Under the current circumstances do you support or oppose such a unilateral disengagement?

  February May
Support greatly 33.9  
Support considerably 28.0 65
Oppose considerably 11.0  
Oppose greatly 17.1  
Don't know 10.0  

Under the current circumstances, which of the two possibilities do you prefer?

  February June
Act to reach an agreement with the Palestineans even if it takes a long time 35.6  
Unilateral disengagements 50.9 68
Don't know 13.6  

Within the framework of disengagements, should Israel evacuate the settlements in Gaza?

  February
Yes 60.4
No 32.1
Don't know 7.5

Do you think that Sharon will evacuate the settlements in Gaza within the framework of the unilateral disengagement he declared?

  February May June
Will evacuate 51.8 66.5 78
Won't 28.7   19
Don't know 19.5   9

If there is a unilateral disengagement also in the West Bank do you think that you would support or oppose that Israel evacuates the small and isolated settlements but keeps the large settlement blocs?

  February
Support 64.1
Oppose 26.7
Don't know 9.2

And what of the possibility that in a unilateral disengagement Israel evacuates all the settlements from the West Bank, including the large settlement blocs?

  February
Support 29.4
Oppose 60.2
Don't know 10.4

In the argument now underway on the matter of targeted killing, there are those who maintain that it would be proper for Israel to stop its policy of targeted killing since in many instances they cause the killing of innocent Palestinians. The opposing argument is that the targeted killings are a measure that is necessary ion order to prevent, or at least reduce, the Palestinian terror that kills innocent Israelis. Which of the two views do you support?

  February
Stop targeted killing 21.2
Continue 70.4
Don't know 8.3

Which among the following politicians and public figures would be your first preference to serve as prime minister?

  May
Sharon 33
Netanyahu 17.4
Peres 13
Ami Ayalon 7
Yossi Beilin 4
Uzi Landau 3.5
Amir Peretz 3

How do you define yourself politically?

  May
Right 50
Center 21
Left 18
Don't know 11

Will Egyptian involvement be helpul in the disengagement process?

  June
Helpful 66
Not helpful 26
Don't know 8

Should the settlements building infrastructure be teared-down after they are evacuated?

  June
All buildings and infrastructure should be destroyed 52.5
Leave the buildings and infrastructure intact in the 34
Buildings should be destroyed, but the infrastructure should be left for the Palestinians’ use 6

What are the chances that settlers will use weapons against soldiers who come to evacuate them from their homes?

  June
Low chance 63
Medium chance 19
High chance 13
Don't know 5

What are the government’s priorities?

  June
Security and relations with the Palestinians 48
Stabilization of the economy 21
Dealing with the social and economic gaps 12
Addressing corrupt ties between wealth and government 5
Coping with issues of religion versus state 4
Preserving the environment 2

Is the country’s economic situation better or worse than last year?

  June
Better than last year 32
Similar to last year 29
Worse than last year 33

What grade would you give the government on its economic policy?

  June
High 22
Medium 36
Poor 37
Don't know 5

The peace index project was conducted by the Tami Steinmetz Research Institute for Peace at Tel Aviv University, headed by Prof. Ephraim Ya'ar and Dr. Tamar Hermann.

Source: Tami Steinmetz Research Institute for Peace, IMRA