Poll: Most Israelis back direct talks with Hamas on Shalit

[subsuelo]

Haaretz

Sixty-four percent of Israelis say the government must hold direct talks with the Hamas government in Gaza toward a cease-fire and the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit. Less than one-third (28 percent) still opposes such talks.

The figures were obtained in a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted Tuesday under the supervision of Professor Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv University.

According to the findings, Israelis are fed up with seven years of Qassam rockets falling on Sderot and the communities near Gaza, as well as the fact that Shalit has been held captive for more than a year and a half. An increasing number of public figures, including senior officers in the Israel Defense Forces' reserves, have expressed similar positions on talks with Hamas.

It now appears that this opinion is gaining traction in the wider public, which until recently vehemently rejected such negotiations.

The survey also showed that Likud voters are much more moderate than their Knesset representatives. About half (48 percent) support talks with Hamas.

In Kadima, 55 percent are for talks, while among Labor voters, the number jumps to 72 percent.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Interesting!

On the other side, polls have shown that well over half of the Gazans oppose the Qassams.

So often, even elected governments tend to be more extreme than those who elect them.

[oberliner]

2. What is the source of that info?

Where have you seen polls showing that well over half of the Gazans oppose the Qassams?

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Poll: 53% of Palestinians oppose rocket fire

Most of the Palestinians oppose ongoing rocket fire on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, according to a poll published Wednesday by the al-Najah University in Nablus.

The survey, which included 860 Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, revealed that 53% of the respondents are against the rocket fire, as opposed to 44% who believe it should continue.

Seventy percent of the Palestinians believe that the Qassam fire should be stopped in exchange for the end of the Israeli-imposed blockade on the Strip, while 25.4% are against this.

http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3500709,00.html

[LeftishBrit]

4. Here...

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3500709,00.html

Maybe 'well over half' is optimistic. Over half, anyway.

Of course, one can never quite be sure how accurate these polls are - on either side. But it sounds relatively hopeful.

[azurnoir]

5. Lets hope the "leaders" listen n/t

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hifalutin]

7. Is there any proof that Shalit is still alive

??