59% of Israelis — Gaza withdrawal a mistake

New York – A new poll published in the Israeli daily newspaper, Maariv, has found that an overwhelming three-quarters of Israelis (74%) oppose Israel making any further unilateral withdrawals, whereas only 18% of Israelis support such moves. The Maariv poll also showed that 59% of Israelis regarded the 2005 Gaza/northern Samaria withdrawal as a mistake, with only 29% thinking otherwise. 51% of Israelis also believe that withdrawal worsened Israel’s national security situation, with only 12% believing that it improved it, while 71% of Israelis believe the government abandoned the Jews uprooted from Gaza, as opposed to only 19% who think it did not ( Independent Media Review Analysis, July 26).

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “The overwhelming majorities shown in this poll opposed to further unilateral retreats and the deterioration in security that comes with them, as occurred with the Gaza/northern Samaria retreat, demonstrates that the Israeli public understands that such retreats will do nothing to bring peace and security. They understand that, on the contrary, such actions will do the opposite by encouraging and strengthening those attacking Israel and yielding them territory, resources and other advantages to make their attacks more effective. Further unilateral withdrawals would mean rewarding terror and thus creating further incentives for it as well as endangering much of Israel by bringing Israel’s major population centers within the terrorists’ range. We urge the Olmert government to heed the public and put an end to any further plans for unilateral withdrawals. Unilateral withdrawals send the false message that Judea and Samaria are not lands to which Jews have an unequivocal political, legal, historical and religious claim.”