Half of Israelis support sovereignty, 25% even without US backing

A majority (58%) said that annexation could lead to Palestinians initiating a third intifada.

By World Israel News Staff

Half of the Israeli public supports applying sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria, according to the results of a poll released Wednesday. When polling Jewish-Israelis, 57 percent support annexation.

Of the 50 percent in support, 25 percent are for the move on condition of U.S support while 25 percent want it even if the Americans don’t agree, the poll found.

Thirty-one percent of Israelis oppose extending sovereignty and 19 percent said that they don’t know. Among Jewish Israelis, as mentioned, support for such a move is 57 percent and among Arab Israelis 16.5 percent.

A majority (58%) said that annexation could lead to Palestinians initiating a third intifada. The Israel Defense Forces has been tasked by Defense Minister Benny Gantz with preparing for possible scenarios, such as widespread violence, in the event annexation happens.

The poll was conducted by the Guttman Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he intends to bring an annexation bill forward as soon as July 1.

He has recently been speaking with settlement leaders in order to allay their concerns that annexation would require the recognition of a Palestinian state, which is provided for in the context of the Trump plan.

Several settlement leaders, who otherwise support the idea of annexation, say they won’t support the move if it means a Palestinian state and the loss of 70 percent of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinians.

Other settlement leaders do support the plan. Those on the Right who favor annexation argue that the Palestinians have never agreed to any of the conditions that they must accept in the context of the Trump plan, so that the danger of a Palestinian state emerging is virtually nil.

They say that Israel will only gain by annexing the territory and that the downside settlement leaders fear will never come to pass due to Palestinian intransigence.