Deadly Delusional

"When protesters chant, 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' it is not, as some suggest, an aspirational cry echoing the hopes of Palestinians for freedom from Israeli occupation; it is -- according to this poll -- the clear expression of the genocidal intent of most Palestinians [three out of four people], who want to obliterate Israel from the map."

"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau believes [that] Israel's war against Hamas will make it harder to get to a two-state solution. He might want to run his views past ordinary Palestinians, who, according to [this] recent poll, appear committed to a Middle East where Israel doesn't exist at all."

Michael Higgins, journalist, National Post

A Palestinian demonstration in Nablus in support of prisoners held in Israeli prisons, November 14, 2023 (WAFA)

A poll, conducted by the Arab World for Research and Development, which is a research organization based in the West Bank -- recognized by the United Nations -- in a November 14 survey, asked Palestinians in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (obviously during a period with Israel's military responding to the Hamas 'provocation' of October 7 when its operatives invaded Israel to spend a horrendous day of mass butcher, rape and abduction) what type of state they would want to establish.

 

The choice was for one state for two disparate groups of people representing Arabs or Jews (i.e. Palestinians or Israelis), to which 5.4 percent responded in support. The choice of a two-state solution saw support by 17.2 percent. Then came the most popular of all the given 'solutions', the enthusiastic 74.7 percent popularity, a "Palestinian state from the river to the sea". This kind of response was not necessarily a total surprise. Previous such polls garnered similar responses.

Peace, on the terms that the West envisages, with two peaceful states side-by-side, each respecting the autonomy of the other, with a healthy trade between them and prospects of prosperity for both, seems far from the minds of the very people involved; Palestinians themselves. The survey results made it quite clear that a large majority of Palestinians are in support of terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. And by extension, supportive of the savage attacks of October 7 that saw 1,200 Israelis butchered.

Indeed, Palestinians saw comfort in the pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking place around the world; 78.2 percent were hopeful of the future of humanity, given the extent of those demonstrations, despite their belief that the West hates Muslims. Researchers interviewed 668 people, evenly split between men and women. The respondents included farmers, tradespeople, professionals like doctors and engineers, along with students and housewives. Of the group. the median age was 31, reflective of Palestinians as a 'young' demographic.

The question "How much do you support the military operation carried out by the Palestinian resistance led by Hamas on October 7th?" saw strong support of 59.3 percent, another 15.7 percent supporting it somewhat, for a combined total of 75 percent approving the slaughter of men, women and children. As for how Palestinians view the Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing that presumably carried out the deadly raid,79.1 percent of Gazans held a positive view of the group.

In the West Bank, however, that approval rating increased to 95.4 percent. Close to 60 percent of Gazans held a positive regard for Hamas, but in the West Bank, the approval rated 87.7 percent. The terrorist organization Islamic Jihad saw support of 71.9 percent of Gazans and over 90 percent of respondents in the West Bank, while the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade was positively viewed by close to 70 percent of Gazans and over 80 percent of West Bank respondents.

According to Justin Trudeau, a man who cannot deplore the prevalence of antisemitism in Canada without mourning the presence of Islamophobia, Israel's 'war on Hamas' will see the "pathway toward a secure, viable, independent Jewish state alongside a secure, viable independent Palestinian state" more difficult to achieve. An accomplishment indeed were it to occur, given the reality of one of those presumptive states supporting the destruction of the other.

When asked whether "your conviction in the possibility" of achieving peace with Israel or coexistence between Palestinians and Israel had increased or decreased, close to 90 percent responded it had decreased in both instances. Coexistence does appear under these circumstances, unlikely to occur without the inconvenient occasional daily disruptions of violent attacks by Palestinians against Jewish Israelis. 

When asked for a response to the question why it is that the United States and the West support Israel, answers included: 

• the Israeli lobby (91.5 percent);
• hatred of Muslims and Islam (89.5 percent); and
• political and economic interests in the region (96.3 percent).

Another question revealed that a large proportion of the Palestinian population will never 'forgive' Israel, with almost 96 percent cleaving to that sentiment (though the puzzle is forgive Israel for what? its existence?). And those who will never 'forget' what Israel 'did', garnered 93 percent. (What Israel DID? Does that mean having the bloody nerve to protect itself from deadly assaults?) The absolute capper: the number of Palestinians who feel pride after October 7: 94.3 percent.

 

Almost 80 percent of Palestinians are increasingly committed to a Palestinian state, than ever before. And from the responses to this poll it seems obvious enough that their dream of statehood can only come to fruition with the destruction of Israel. Their reliance on terrorist groups to deliver that prize to them sums up the chances of Israel achieving peace anytime soon -- if ever -- with a society and culture addicted to hate and violence. 

 

Palestinians shout slogans during a protest in the West Bank city of Hebron on Nov. 17. Photo by HAZEM BADER/AFP

"While support for terror organizations is high, 87.3% of the Palestinians believe that the Palestinian Authority plays a negative role. Only 23.2% believe that Fatah plays a positive role. When asked who should govern the Gaza Strip and the areas in Judea and Samaria that are under the control of the PA, only 8.4% supported the PA. In comparison, 85.8% supported Hamas continuing to play a role in the Palestinian government – 13.6% supported a Hamas-only government, while 72.2% supported a “national unity” government – i.e., a government comprised of Fatah and Hamas."

Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs