In a poll that shows a stark disconnect between Israeli public opinion and the hawkish government elected in the nation earlier this year, a full 57 percent of Israelis were supportive of the idea of peace talks with Hamas.
The poll was worded to gauge reaction to a proposal by top opposition figure and former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who suggested that he would support talks with Hamas if the group recognized Israel.
Hamas’ recognition as with Israeli officials’ willingness to talk with them, seems to differ based on which official is speaking. Hamas officials have suggested the group is willing to recognize Israel within the 1967 borders, but at other times have suggested no recognition at all was possible.
But despite continued talk from the right-far-right coalition government that another war against the Gaza Strip may be in the offing, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ashkenazi seemed to concede that the casus belli for such a conflict was largely bunk, noting that Hamas has not only curbed its own rocket fire but has undertaken considerable effort to stop other groups from firing rockets from the strip.
Israel invaded the Gaza Strip in December of last year, a month long invasion that left around 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, slain. Hamas remains in control of the strip, however an Israeli blockade has kept all but the most basic levels of humanitarian aid out of the region.
can only mean they are going to launch a major operation in south Lebanon or the west bank
57 percent of Israelis want to talk peace with Hamas? Are these the same people who elected this far-right government? Are they the same people who cheered when Gaza was being destroyed? I think you'd better redo your poll–sounds like bunk.
"Peace talks" are meaningless, particularly in the context of Gaza's future. What kind of "state" can be built on a tiny, narrow strip of land populated with 1 million plus mostly crammed in refugees? What does that even mean anyways, that israelis support "peace talks" with gaza? Are the israelis willing to loosen the boot currently on the necks of the Gazan civilian population in exchange for not one rocket being fired over the boundary line? I don't know precisely what Israel hopes to achieve by strangulating Gaza the way it is, but one thing I can say for certain is that the Israelis aren't interested in peace – not the government nor the people.