Poll: Religious & Secular Israelis Divide on Two State

Posted on May 14, 2009 In Blog

While all the media is set to microscopically measure any signs of friction between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu when the Israeli PM visits Washington next week, what that will mean for American Jews, and as the King of Jordan urges Bibi to say the magic words “two state solution,” Yediot Achronot issues a poll of what Israelis’ views are about the two state notion.

While the headline states 58% of Israelis support the “two states for two peoples” approach, the poll goes on to state that the Israeli public remains divided on the question along the axes of religious (76% opposed to a two state deal) and secular (73% in favor) as well as age (53% of Israelis under age 30 opposed; 63% of Israelis over age 50 support).

If nothing else, this reality – and the very recent Israeli election results which yielded the Netanyahu government – ought to chasten those in the U.S. and elsewhere who would prod the Prime Minister on this front. It is his responsibility to represent the views and interests of the Israeli people – which, at a minimum, are divided about the best course ahead.