Poll: Palestinians yearn for peace

BEIT SAHOUR, West Bank, March 12, 2008 (UPI) -- The majority of Palestinians responding to a survey favor a lessening of tensions with Israel and a continuation of the current relative calm in the area.

The survey from the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion found that 73 percent of Palestinians asked supported the present lull in clashes with their Israeli neighbors, and 67.4 percent favored seeing Hamas back away from a "military decision" in the conflict.

Nearly 36 percent of the Palestinians polled listed "security" as their top concern. Jobs and personal finances were the leading concern of 25 percent. Three-quarters of the respondents considered the Palestinian economy to be in bad shape.

At the same time, 23.4 percent believed it was unlikely that their children would see peaceful relations between Israel and Palestinians, compared to 19.8 percent who though it was likely.

The poll of 1,220 adults was conducted in person between Feb. 22 and March 6, and had a margin for error of 2.8 percent, the center said.
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Commentary

by HRM Deborah

I am thinking this questioning about peace, is not just occurring among the Palestinians, but also the Jewish people; because this war had went on for 108 years.

Nevertheless, the point to be made is, it is understandable after a war such as this that people are bound to be at little skeptical at times.

Matter in point, is with all the negative propaganda and allocations in an attempt to destroy a chance for real peace in Palestine, is simply going out with the trash where it belongs, in my opinion. However, it may be giving people outside of Palestine, mixed feels and uncertainties also.

But I know in my heart, never again do we as Palestinians ever wish to be at war with the Jewish people, the war was always wrong and nothing will ever change that fact.

Myself, I guess you would say, I gave an impromptu poll and this included Palestinians, Jews and American's and the response I got was 100% for peace and this war to be over, with everyone in Palestine to be able to have the chance of a happy, productive life that everyone deserves.

I really did not realize doing my own poll, that not just the Palestinians and the Jewish people where traumatized about the war, but I got the opinion the war effected everyone that was polled with a very deep sorrow.

In response to security concerns, I know from my reports that everything is being done to create a safe country, especially contrary to the insults and allegations made by Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah terrorist organization.

Finally, those that I polled agreed with the current negotiations between the Palestinians and the Jewish people, they strongly disagreed with the past and failed plans by the American government.