Survey: 70 percent of Palestinians support one-state solution

Near Eastern Consulting's monthly bulletin on Palestinian perceptions towards politics and economics

Bulletin # II-2 - Main Findings, February 2007

In the period 12-15 February, 2007, Near East Consulting (NEC) conducted a phone survey of over 1200 randomly selected Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem of which 806 were successfully completed. It is worth noting that the margin of error is +/- 3.4% with a 95% confidence level.

<snip>

While principally 75% of Palestinians do not think that Israel has the right to exist, 70% support a one-state solution in historic Palestine where Muslims, Christians and Jews live together with equal rights and responsibilities.

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article6589.shtml

Doesn't bode well for a two-state solution.

two state solution or really any solution that would lead to peace. I don't mean this to come off rudely, i just honestly don't know why there can't be a one state solution with equality for all? Europe does it, North America does it, South America Does it, are we to believe that the Palestinians and Israeli's are some how to barbaric to get along? Didn't jews, Muslims, and Christians live in the area in relative stability for quite a few hundred yeras??

sometimes you have to read the actual survey...not the cherrypickings of "electronic intifada"


37% of the respondents would like to see a
system of government emerge in Palestine as in Islamic non-Arab countries,

20% would like a system of government similar to existing systems in European countries,
while

17% would like a system of government like in the Arab countries.

Although respondents were not presented with the choice of an Islamic Caliphate, 14%
specified that this is the system of government they hope for in Palestine.

A mere 5% would like the system of government in Palestine to emulate the one of the United
States, while the percentages of respondents wanting Palestine to have a system of
government like in communist countries (1%), Japan (1%), Latin American countries
(1%) or Asian countries (1%) is minimal. Finally, another 3% of the respondents
stated that they would like to see a system of government appear in Palestine as the
one in other countries (such as Canada, Australia, or Switzerland).


http://www.neareastconsulting.com/surveys/update/files/update-en-pr.pdf

that puts 54% wanting some kind of muslim constitution.......not very secular

37% of the respondents would like to see a
system of government emerge in Palestine as in Islamic non-Arab countries,

17% would like a system of government like in the Arab countries.

that puts 54% wanting some kind of muslim constitution.......not very secular

Being the country with the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia falls into the category of Islamic non-Arab states. So how do you come to the conclusion that Indonesia isn't a secular country? Do you have a different definition of secular than what most other people do? Something like, if a country has a Muslim majority, then it can't be secular?

but neither israel nor Indonesia are really secular.. both have elements of religious law within their countries laws (local) turkey i believe has a better official standing

if you read the polls from the article, their conclusion was:

In any case, these results clearly indicate that for about half of the population the
choice of system of government in Palestine would ideally be associated with the
Islamic countries and the Islamic religion.

whichi is where i took my conclusion from.
_____________

(its not hard to answer questions.....just ask....and as i 've mentioned before, if by chance i skipped one, simple ask again and i'll get to it........

There's freedom of religion in both countries, and while there is religious parties in the political arena (just like there is over here, but no-one's going to try arguing that Australia isn't secular), the government is secular and runs the country that way, and not through religious laws...

You think local laws trump the laws of the actual state? Local laws and customs aren't what makes a country secular or non-secular...

You know, I learn something new every day. Up till now I honestly thought they were continents!

I ask because it's quite common around here for someone to do this, and then attack them for statements they didn't make.

And to answer your question seriously, I wasn't doing it to be a dick. I was trying to humorously point out that divisions of the type he was deploring exist everywhere. Borders drawn according to ethnic and/or cultural differences are the norm, not the exception. His comment belies a lack of basic understanding as to what is driving the conflict. When people say stuff like, "Well, why can't they just get along nicely? Am I to believe that everyone there is just too savage to ever make peace?" it seriously annoys me.

It's at once both admitting to a lack of knowlege about something and simutaneously judging it by offering up a sarcastic motive for the continuing violence. We may as well be asking why India and Pakistan can't just be friends. Are we supposed to believe that they are just too savage to ever make peace? (Or is there possibly an unresolved issue(s) driving the violence that I can spend 10 minutes learning about?)

the problem ever since the partition of Israel, that the new state was to exist under Jewish law, an outrage to Muslims who felt they would quickly become second class citizens. Had the new state decided on a completely secular form of government, the outrage would have been muted. After all, they'd had foreign powers (the Greeks, the Romans, the Ottomans, the British) deciding their borders for a very long time. A new set of borders wouldn't have meant much.

I think they will resist a two state solution. I think they will continue to fight against what they perceive as a Jewish religious state in their midst.

The biggest irony in all of this is that both ethnic groups are largely secular.

they could work out one secular state for the sake of all the kids there that are killed every single year. That wouldn't go along with US foreign policy though, so I doubt it will happen.

all have equal rights in israel. unlike any of the surrounding countries.

It kind of blows a big hole in that particular argument:

Article 6

(i) Jordanians shall be equal before the law. There shall be no discrimination between them as regards to their rights and duties on grounds of race, language or religion.

(ii) The Government shall ensure work and education within the limits of its possibilities, and it shall ensure a state of tranquillity and equal opportunities to all Jordanians.

Article 7

Personal freedom shall be guaranteed.

http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/constitution_jo.html

If you consider what Israel is doing to be the equivalent of apartheid, I'd love to hear what you think Jordan's treatment of the Palestinians is reminiscent of.

For example, in 1988 they abandoned their claim to the West Bank, saying that it should be a Palestinian state. OK, that's fine. Oslo was just signed and they grabbed at the opportunity to make peace with Israel. But then they stripped all of the Palestinian residents of the WB of Jordanian citizenship.

What about the events of Black September. Lots of civilians targeted there, both on Jordanian and Palestinian sides. Tens of thousands were killed in a few months. Between 3000 and 5000 in one ten day period, ultimately leading to the expulsion of large numbers of Palestinians. Not too different than what happened in the Nakba, except in this case the Palestinians were actually citizens of the country they were expelled from.

Hey, what about the law forbidding land sales to Israelis? Anyone who sells land (sold land? this still on the books?) to an Israeli gets DEATH! They even sentenced 100 people to death (in abstentia) under this law. I guess it's better than the Palestinian version of it which also includes death but with the slight twist that it forbids Jews, (not just Israelis) from purchasing land.

What about the bulldozing and destruction of the thousands year old Jewish cemetaries and religious sites in Hebron under Jordanian rule? What about the restriction on Jews from praying at the Western Wall, even allowing it to fall into disrepair?

Considering I hadn't even used it in this thread, don't you think the discussion could get a fair bit more constructive if there was less time spent going on and on about it?

Obviously you missed the entire point of what I posted. There is a disparity between the constitution and some things that have happened, but there's also a disparity between Israel's laws ensuring equality and what actually happens. I'm sure you'll try to argue rather unconvincingly that there is equality in Israel both in law and reality, but there's plenty of examples to prove you wrong...

I see East Germany as a good model for Israel. The fundamentalists on both sides need to be dealt with through stern law enforcement measures, and a new ideological basis for a unified state needs to be created. A ruling party or group needs to be bi-national in character, and cultural autonomy should be allowed. But separatism, theocracy, and Zionism have no place.

deal with it.

A bi-national state can be for everyone.

time. This Candide like enthusiasm for a one state solution, completely ignores the enmity and history of Israelis and Palestinians. It's a recipe for a bloodbath. But it's interesting to see how many DUers support it, and by supporting it, support the dissolution of a Jewish state.

Both sides suffer now. Much more so the Palestinian people, but also the Jewish population.

I don't oppose a two-state solution, but i don't think that's the only way to go. To suggest otherwise should not be automatically condemned as supporting "a bloodbath" or ethnic cleansing of any group, which i know both of us do NOT want.

The reality is, also, what you call "the Jewish State" has a population of over 20% non-Jewish people, mostly consisting of the indigenous Palestinian Arab population. If there is to be peace, there has to be recognition of that.

most of the palestenians polled want a muslim state of some variation......a single state would only exaberate the problem......one population is going to be in the minority in a one state solution

in fact even in a two state solution there will be minorities..in fact in 3 state solution there will minorities......

and in every state in the world the minority does not get all they want and they exist in every single community, social, political group since time began.....

peace will come eventually, when the realities are accepted.....

Personally, I've got no time for any of them. What's wrong with a state being a state for all its citizens, and a state where the religion or ethnicity of a citizen isn't the be all and end all?

In an ideal world, I'd support a binational state for Israel and the West Bank and Gaza, as its the fairest solution, and would bring it into line with most Western states. I'm also aware that most Palestinians and Israelis wouldn't support this, so on a practical level only I support a two-state solution where Jerusalem becomes the capital for both states, most settlements in the West Bank are dismantled, and only minimal and fair land swaps are made. There must also be fair compensation for diaspora Palestinians who wouldn't be able to return to the new Palestinian state, with the opportunity given to be granted citizenship of a country like the US or a European country. In the end after probably many generations, Israel and Palestine would more than likely become some sort of binational state, but that's something that definately won't happen now or anytime soon...

but I have no objection to a state that's culturally Jewish. And there is both a Jewish culture and the religion. As long as minority rights are protected- and Israel has a lot of work to do on that and on dismantling religious laws- I see no problem with Israel remaining a Jewish state.

And I agree with you on how a two state solution should look.

Sometimes I think when it comes to Israel, there are times when the religious and cultural overlap, but Israel has never been in danger of losing its secular nature, though I did read dire warnings that there could be a crisis when the disengagement from Gaza happened, though nothing even threatening to Israels secularism actually happened :)

It's a terrible shame, I know, but Israelis have this thing called the right to 'self-determination.'

If they don't want to be ruled by their enemies, that's their right.

Of course, they have no right to rule over the Palestinians, and they need to get the hell out of the WB and Gaza.

a dictatorship?.....now thats an interesting "ideology".......

You win the award for "Dumbest solution to the I/P conflict". East Germany, where thousands were imprisoned for no reason other than their opposition to STASI and the Soviet-backed regime, is not a model for anything but disaster. Nor does your model present anything positive for the millions of Israelis who probably like living in a "Jewish state" other than to just get over their patriotism and abandon the dream of Zionism. Fat chance.

Who has defended people convicted of genocide.

Israel's settlement program really much put a nail in the coffin of the two-state solution.

nt

substantially at the expense of the other, it's not unreasonable for Palestinians to feel that what would now be their portion is no longer viable as a Palestinian state. And I could see why they would want to have one state with all people. In some ways, it's the only fair choice.

Now, I understand that fairness is not the underlying motive here. But it's easy to see where they are coming from in this poll.

thats what the poll states:

37% of the respondents would like to see a
system of government emerge in Palestine as in Islamic non-Arab countries,

20% would like a system of government similar to existing systems in European countries,
while

17% would like a system of government like in the Arab countries.

Although respondents were not presented with the choice of an Islamic Caliphate, 14%
specified that this is the system of government they hope for in Palestine.

thats: 37 + 17 + 14 = 68% want a muslim country.....thats their definition of a single state.......no thanks

amazing how electonic intifada left out that little bit of information.....

The Palestinians are self-empowered to live in peace and harmony with Israel... as soon as they realize and accept this truism. If they don't, then they are the main part of the problem and a non-factor in the solution.

Didn't they always want a single state? That's why they rejected the Peel and UN partition plans.

I forget who said it but the quote was something like, "Israel is the only country on earth who is expected to be the one to make concessions when they win a war."