Yedioth Ahronoth poll: `“49% of Israelis support dividing Jerusalem`

Friday December 16, 2005 11:16

by Saed Bannoura-IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth conducted a poll which revealed that half if the Israeli public support dividing Jerusalem in the framework of a peace deal with the Palestinians.

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The joint poll of Yedioth Ahronoth and Mina Tzemach revealed that 49% of the Israeli support a compromise over Jerusalem. They support handing Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem, and Arab areas adjacent to it, to the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, the same figure (49%) said that they oppose such an agreement, yet the results showed that even before peace talks in Jerusalem wee launched, half of the public in Israel is willing to accept a compromise on Jerusalem for a peace deal with the Palestinians, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

The poll was carried to examine the Israeli opinion after an advisor to Sharon told the Newsweek magazine that Sharon is willing to cede part of Jerusalem for a peace deal.

Also, the poll revealed that 56% of the Israelis believe that Sharon would agree to divide Jerusalem under a peace deal, 37% said that he would not accept such a deal.

54% of the Israeli said that Sharon is the most suitable leader for Israel, while only 21% supported the leadership of labor party chairman Amir Perez. Netanyahu (Likud) was supported by 16%.

Regarding public support for political parties in elections, the poll indicated that Sharon’s party (Kadima) has lost some of its public support; the party would win 38 Knesset seats if the elections were held today; earlier survey gave Kadima 41 seats.

The Labor party gained two more Knesset seats in the survey, up to 23. The Likud remained steady after its sharp decline in poll and would only achieve 11 Knesset seats.

Shas party would be the fourth largest faction in the Knesset with 10 seats.