MIDDLE EAST: More than half of Palestinians now favour a state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel, a sharp increase since Yasser Arafat died in November, according to a poll published yesterday.
It illustrated a swing in Palestinian sentiment away from militant violence in favour of negotiating for a state on land occupied by Israel. Arafat's moderate successor, Mr Mahmoud Abbas, has vowed to pursue talks after winning an election for president of the Palestinian Authority on January 9th.
Faced with opposition by militants to accepting a ceasefire, Mr Abbas was in Gaza yesterday to convince them to halt attacks to help him revive peacemaking with Israel.
The survey by an independent Palestinian pollster, Mr Khalil Shikaki, found that 54 per cent of Palestinians favour a peace accord providing for a state alongside Israel, comprising 97 per cent of the West Bank and Gaza along with 3 per cent of Israeli territory to be included as part of a land swap. Some 39 per cent said Yes to the question a year ago.
A parallel poll by Hebrew University in Israel found 64 per cent of Israelis backing such a solution, an increase from 47 per cent last year. The Palestinian poll also found a softening of views over a resolution to the Palestinian refugee problem: 46 per cent backed a deal in which most refugees would return to a Palestinian state and not Israel; 50 per cent opposed this. - (Reuters)