An opinion poll has found that a majority of Israelis believe that the Palestinian drive for an independent state is both an unstoppable and just demand. The "peace index" poll, conducted by Tel Aviv University's Tami Steinmetz Centre, found 69 percent of Israeli Jews believed an independent Palestinian state was inevitable and 55 percent believed that the Palestinians deserve it.
A university spokesman said the poll was the first to show a majority of Israelis believed Palestinians had the right to demand a state, as opposed to merely resigning themselves to a state arising from Middle East peace talks.
Poll director Professor Ephraim Ya'ar said that the poll, carried out in March, was the first to show a majority of Israelis believed Palestinians had the right to demand a state, as opposed to merely resigning themselves to a state arising from Middle East peace talks. However, the poll found a strong majority opposed compromising Israeli rule over East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the capital of a future state.
