Attitudes Toward the Peace Process
(1991 - 1999)
Should a treaty between Israel and the Palestinians be signed even if
it requires that Palestine becomes an independent state with Jerusalem
as its capital? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21, 1999)
| Yes |
22% |
| No |
60% |
| DK/Refused |
18% |
Overall, do you believe that the Arab world sincerely accepts Israel's
right to exist, or do you believe that the Arab world seeks the eventual
destruction of Israel? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21, 1999)
| Accepts Israel |
19% |
| Seeks Destruction |
60% |
| DK/Refused |
21% |
In the United States Congress, legislation has been passed to move the
U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in recognition of Israel's claim that Jerusalem
is its capital. President Clinton opposes the legislation saying that
the status of the city should be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians.
Who do you agree with more, the U.S. Congress or President Clinton? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21, 1999)
| U.S. Congress |
57% |
| President Clinton |
30% |
| DK/Refused |
14% |
President Clinton has proposed to give the Palestinian arabs $900 million
over the next five years. Should the United States insist that Yasser
Arafat, head of the Palestinian Authority, first fulfill his obligations
in the Oslo accords by outlawing and disarming terrorist groups and
extraditing terrorists to Israel for prosecution, before additional
U.S. aid is given to him? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21,
1999)
| Yes |
78% |
| No |
10% |
| DK/Refused |
12% |
Do you believe the United States should demand that the Palestinian
Authority remove all anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements from Palestinian
school books before receiving any part of president Clinton's proposed
$900 million U.S. aid? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21, 1999)
| Yes |
76% |
| No |
13% |
| DK/Refused |
11% |
If a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian conflict were found, do
you think this resolution would lead to lasting peace between Israel
and the Arab countries, or would there continue to be Arab-Israeli conflict
over other issues? (Marttila & Kiley, 2/91)
| Lasting peace |
17% |
| Still be conflict |
79% |
| Not sure |
4% |
In general, who do you think is currently the biggest obstacle to finding
a peace settlement in the Arab-Israeli dispute?
| |
Date |
Arab Nations |
Israel |
Both |
Neither |
| NBC/WSJ |
7/91 |
35% |
37% |
11% |
2% |
| NBC/WSJ |
9/91 |
33% |
34% |
16% |
1% |
| NBC/WSJ |
10/91 |
35% |
37% |
14% |
1% |
| NBC/WSJ |
12/91 |
29% |
41% |
15% |
2% |
| NBC/WSJ |
1/92 |
31% |
31% |
22% |
2% |
Should the U.S. stop aid to Israel if it does not participate in a Mideast
peace conference? [not exact wording]
| |
|
Yes |
No |
| USA Today |
8/25/91 |
55% |
27% |
Do you think the United States should continue to give top priority
to maintaining Israel's strength and security even if Israel rejects
U.S. proposals for resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict? (Time/CNN
5/8/91)
| Yes |
30% |
| No |
58% |
| Not sure |
12% |
Do you think Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel
is mostly keeping or mostly breaking the agreements previously made
in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians? (Harris)
|
1997 |
1998 |
April |
August |
May |
% |
% |
% |
Keeping |
35 |
42 |
32 |
Breaking |
48 |
40 |
44 |
Don’t know/Refused |
17 |
17 |
24 |
Do you think Chairman Yassir Arafat of the Palestinian
Authority is mostly keeping or mostly breaking the agreements previously
made in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians? (Harris)
|
1997 |
1998 |
April |
August |
May |
% |
% |
% |
Keeping |
33 |
30 |
25 |
Breaking |
50 |
55 |
52 |
Don’t know/Refused |
18 |
15 |
24 |
How would you rate the job (READ ITEMS) is doing in
trying to work for a reasonable solution to the future relations between
Israel and the Palestinians? (Harris)
|
Positive*
% |
Negative**
% |
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu |
May 1998 |
34 |
61 |
August 1997 |
29 |
61 |
Chairman Yassir Arafat of the |
May 1998 |
22 |
66 |
Palestinian Authority |
August 1997 |
20 |
76 |
How would you rate the job President Clinton is doing
in handling relations between Israel and the Palestinians – excellent,
pretty good, only fair or poor? (Harris)
|
Positive* |
Negative** |
President Clinton |
39% |
43% |
Israel should withdraw all its forces from Arab territory
before the other issues can be settled.
| Date |
Poll |
Agree |
Disagree |
Not Sure |
| July '67 |
Harris |
62% |
17% |
21% |
Israel should give back the territory it gained
from the war of 1967.
| Date |
Poll |
Agree |
Disagree |
Not Sure |
| July '70 |
Harris |
24 |
43 |
33 |
| Jan. '75 |
Harris |
25 |
49 |
26 |
| Jan. '76 |
Harris |
25 |
49 |
26 |
| July '80 |
Harris |
23 |
55 |
22 |
As a result of the 1967 War, Israel now controls
land that was formerly controlled by Arab nations. What do you think
Israel should do give back part of this land, give back all of
this land, or keep all of this land?
| Date |
Poll |
Keep All |
Give Back Part |
Give Back All |
N.O. |
| July '67 |
Gallup |
24 |
49 |
15 |
12 |
| June '77 |
Gallup |
24 |
35 |
16 |
25 |
| Oct. '77 |
Gallup |
26 |
36 |
13 |
25 |
| Dec. '77 |
Gallup |
30 |
34 |
16 |
20 |
The Israelis ought to give up all the territory
they have captured since 1967 if the Arab states agree to peace.
| Date |
Poll |
Agree |
Disagree |
D.K. |
| Fall '74 |
Caddell |
36 |
36 |
28 |
| Summer '75 |
Caddell |
36 |
34 |
30 |
As a way to bring peace to the Middle East, it has
been proposed that Israel withdraw from occupied Arab lands if Arab
nations in return recognize Israel's right to exist as a nation. Do
you favor or oppose this proposal?
| |
Favor |
Oppose |
| Gallup 3/91 |
73% |
17% |
How likely do you think it is that both sides will
agree to this proposal?
| |
Gallup 3/91 |
| Very Likely |
4 |
| Somewhat likely |
33 |
| Not too likely |
42 |
| Not at all likely |
1 |
If Israel did give up occupied Arab lands, how
likely is it that the action would bring lasting peace to the Middle
East?
| |
Gallup 3/91 |
| Very Likely |
11 |
| Somewhat likely |
46 |
| Not too likely |
27 |
| Not at all likely |
12 |
The Bush Administration supports a policy whereby
Israel should give up territory it occupies in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip in exchange for peace with the Arabs. Are you in favor of or
opposed to this concept of land for peace? (American Voters and
Mideast Peace, Sept. 11, 1991)
| Favor |
50.2% |
| Opposed |
26.7% |
| Don't know |
19.2% |
| Other |
3.7% |
| Refused |
0.2% |
Thinking specifically about the conflict between Israel and
the Palestinians living on the West Bank and Gaza Strip--are your sympathies
more with the Israelis or more with the Palestinians? (M&K,
2/91)
| Israelis |
47% |
| Palestinians |
28% |
| Neither |
6% |
| Both |
7% |
| Not sure |
12% |
Would you be more inclined or less inclined to vote
for a presidential candidate who supports a policy of "land for
peace," or will it make no difference? (American Voters and
Mideast Peace, Sept. 11, 1991)
| More inclined |
28.9% |
| Less inclined |
9.7% |
| No difference |
54.6% |
| Don't know |
6.6% |
| Refused |
0.3% |
|