Most Israelis, Palestinians Want Two-state Solution, Poll Finds

A vast majority of Israelis and Palestinians want to see a two-state solution to their conflict, a poll released Wednesday has found, dpa reported.

According to the survey, 74 per cent of Palestinians and 78 per cent of Israelis want to see an Israeli state and a Palestinian state living side-by-side, while the idea of one bi-national state is rejected by 59 per cent of Palestinians and 66 per cent of Israelis.

The poll, commissioned by the OneVoice movement, was conducted by Colin Irwin of the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool together with Israeli pollster Mina Tzemach and Palestinian pollster Nader Said. Some 500 Israeli adults and 600 Palestinian adults were questioned.

A almost-total majority of Palestinians - 97 per cent - said they saw the establishment of a Palestinian state as urgent, and a similar number - 95 per cent - said they regarded the Palestinian refugee issue the same way.

Of the Israeli respondents, 77 per cent said their most important issue was Israel's security .

On the issue of Jerusalem, 94 per cent of Palestinians and 68 per cent of Israelis said the future of the city was a key issue, but 50 per cent of the former and 77 per cent of the latter oppose dividing the city.

Some 86 per cent of Palestinians want a total Israeli withdrawal to the de facto borders which existed before 1967 Middle East War, when Israel conquered the West Bank from Jordan, but 60 per cent of Israelis oppose this.

One hundred per cent of Palestinians also insist that Israel dismantle all settlements in the West Bank, and setters return to Israel, something opposed by 53 percent of Israelis.

Asked about priorities for rebuilding confidence in the peace process, 99 per cent of Palestinians said Israel had to lift its siege of the Gaza Strip, and an equal number said Israel had to remove all checkpoints in the West Bank.

On the Israeli side of the divide, 90 per cent said a halt to Palestinian suicide bombings and other attacks against civilians was essential or desirable, and 87 per cent said the same regarding a cessation of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

The poll was conducted in February this year. No margin of error was given.