MIDDLE EAST: A wide-ranging survey of Israeli and Palestinian public opinion provides positive reinforcement for the growing, if fragile, optimism surrounding the intifada ceasefire and the latest Israeli troop withdrawals.
Dr Khalil Shikaki, who oversaw the Palestinian side of the survey, yesterday described some its findings as "astounding" - relating, in particular, to the majority support among Palestinians for eventual recognition of Israel as the state of the Jewish people, and among Israelis for Palestine as the state of the Palestinian people.
Conducted in late June among 1,318 Palestinians, 502 members of the Israeli public and 500 Israeli settlers, the survey found that a majority on both sides (56 per cent of Palestinians and 61 per cent of Israelis) support the US-backed "road map" framework to peace and Palestinian statehood.
Underlining the collapse of mutual trust since the intifada erupted 33 months ago, however, only 30 per cent of the Israelis said they believed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mr Mahmoud Abbas would honour his road-map-related commitments, while a mere 15 per cent of the Palestinians said they believed Israel's Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon would honour his.
Dr Shikaki, a professor of political science who heads the Ramallah-based Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, said the most "disappointing" findings related to the popularity of Mr Abbas and his government. A poll in April showed support among Palestinians at 61 per cent for his appointment as prime minister, a figure that has fallen to 52 per cent. And there is a drop off, too, in confidence in Mr Abbas's ability to institute reform, fight corruption and control the security situation.
The survey which was completed before the 90-day ceasefirefound 73 per cent of Palestinians backing such a truce.