A clear majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza now oppose a two-state solution to end their struggle with Israel, according to a new poll released on Wednesday.
Sixty percent of those polled, including 55 percent in the West Bank and a commanding 68 percent in Gaza, reject permanently accepting Israel's existence and instead suggest their leaders "work toward reclaiming all of historic Palestine, from the river to the sea."
Two-thirds of those polled support continued "resistance" against the Jewish state. Consequentially, those amenable to a two-state solution view such a move as “part of a ‘program of stages,’ to liberate all of historic Palestine later.”
The new survey, conducted throughout the Palestinian territories, was commissioned by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and conducted by a leading Palestinian pollster, between June 15-17.
The Washington Institute characterized the poll as a sudden, hardline shift within the Palestinian community, with elements of pragmatism revealed in the minutia of the survey: 80 percent of Palestinians would "definitely" or "probably" be in favor of greater job opportunities in Israel, and 70 percent of Gaza residents strongly favor Hamas' maintaining its ceasefire with the IDF— despite generally favoring resistance.
The Institute's scholars conclude from the report that "US policy should seriously consider abandoning all hope for now of a permanent Israeli-Palestinian peace deal" and, instead, should "focus on immediate steps to lower tensions" and improving conditions on the ground.
Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in April after nine months of negotiations, brokered by the United States. The State Department's special envoy to that effort was Martin Indyk, founder of the Washington Institute.