Polled Israelis Favor Returning of Some Land

JERUSALEM — About two-thirds of Israeli Jews would return some occupied territory in exchange for peace, and more than half want to negotiate with the PLO under certain conditions, according to two polls published Friday.

The results indicate that Israelis are more dovish than their current leadership. Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir has repeatedly said he will never negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the platform of his Likud Party rules out relinquishing the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Likud and Israel’s other main political bloc, the center-left Labor Party, formed a coalition government in December after elections failed to give either party a clear mandate. Labor is willing to trade some territory for peace.

Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt in their 1967 war.

In a survey by the Israel Institute of Applied Social Research, which was published by the Jerusalem Post, 65% of Israeli Jews questioned were willing to give up at least part of the occupied lands.

Of those, 17% wanted to return all or most of the territories, according to the poll. Thirty-five percent opposed any territorial concessions, compared to 45% two years ago.

The poll indicated Israelis resent outside involvement in settling the Arab-Israeli conflict. Asked whether Israel should agree if the United States exerts pressure on it to withdraw from most of the occupied lands, 73% said no. The figure has remained unchanged for the past 11 years, the poll said.

Another poll, conducted by the Dahaf Institute in the first week of February, found that 53% of Israeli Jews favor talking to the PLO under certain conditions.

Of that group, however, 38% said the PLO has not yet fulfilled its promises of renouncing terrorism and recognizing Israel and that talks should only begin when those conditions are met.

PLO chief Yasser Arafat said in December that he has renounced terrorism and recognizes Israel, prompting the United States to open a dialogue with the PLO.

Fifteen percent said Arafat has kept his promises and talks should begin immediately.

Forty-two percent opposed talks with the PLO under any conditions.

ISRAELI VIEWS

From Jerusalem Post poll:

65% are willing to give up part of occupied territories.

35% oppose any territorial concessions.

73% resent outside involvement in Arab-Israeli conflict, believe Israel should resist pressure from Washington.

From Dahaf Institute poll:

53% favor talks with PLO under certain conditions.

38% of those who favor talks believe PLO has not fulfilled its promises.

42% oppose talks with PLO under any conditions.