Who's to blame for Amona clashes?
Photo: Reuters
Poll: Settlers to blame for clashes
Yedioth Ahronoth survey shows 57 percent of Israelis believe settlers are at fault for violent clashes during evacuation of Amona outpost; meanwhile, elections poll shows Kadima leading with 42 seats, Labor at 21, Likud with 15
Settlers are to blame: A total of 57 percent of Israelis believe settlers are to blame for the violent clashes
during the evacuation of the Amona outpost Wednesday, whereas only 16 percent say the army and police are at fault, a Yedioth Ahronoth and Dahaf Institute poll shows.
Still, almost half of all respondents, 49 percent, believe Olmert ordered the evacuation operation in order to score political points ahead of the upcoming general elections, scheduled for late March. Meanwhile, 43 percent of respondents said the High Court of Justice's decision on the matter paved the way for the evacuation.
According to the poll, 10 percent of respondents said both sides are equally guilty, while only four percent said Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the government were to blame for the serious violence.
Amona Clashes
Alex Fishman
Gap between Green Line Israel and settlers may be unbridgeable, Alex Fishman writes
Turning their attention to right-wing politicians present in Amona, including Effie Eitam and Arieh Eldad who both suffered injuries during the evacuation, 51 percent said no measures should be taken against them, compared to 45 percent who thought otherwise.
Kadima loses 2 seats
Meanwhile, the regular weekend elections poll showed Kadima dropping by two seats from last week. If elections were held today, Kadima would win 42 Knesset seats, compared to Labor's 21 mandates, the same as last week. The Likud, meanwhile, gained two seats and currently stands at 15.
The religious Shas party came in fourth in the survey with 10 seats, followed by the Arab parties with eight. Israel Our Home went up to six seats, while United Torah Judaism lost one seat and stands at five, the same as Meretz. The National Union also received 5 mandates, with the National Religious Party winning only three seats.
On another front, 44 percent of the public said Kadima's list for the elections is good, and 40 percent said the party's list was the best one. Meanwhile, 25 percent said Labor's list was the best, and only 17 percent said the Likud's list was on top.
Regarding Hamas' election victory, 56 percent of respondents thought the government should not act on that front, but rather, take a wait-and-see approach for the time being. Another 23 percent said dialogue with the Palestinian Authority should continue, while 21 percent said Israel should sever its ties with the PA.
Meanwhile, 61 percent of Israelis think Hamas terrorism will continue nonetheless, while 37 percent thought the Islamic terror group will moderate its approach. Overall, 43 percent of respondents said Israel should postpone the transfer of funds to the PA, 28 percent said the government should stopp the transfers altogether, and 27 percent said the funds should be transferred despite Hamas' win.
