How Many Arabs and Muslims Accept Israel?

A set of recent polls of Palestinian "refugees" in the West Bank and Gaza, in Jordan, and in Lebanon asks "Are there conditions under which you could accept coexistence with Israeli Jews in peace and security?" The replies:

• West Bank and Gaza: Yes 20.3 percent, No 79.1 percent, Don't know 0.7 percent
• Jordan: Yes 9.7 percent, No 85.5 percent, Don't know 4.7 percent
• Lebanon: Yes 18.7 percent, No 77.8 percent, Don't know 3.5 percent

Comments:

(1) These percentages confirm my sense that a not-trivial portion of Arabs – even Palestinians who trace their roots to the land Israel occupies – are willing to live in harmony with Israel. I estimate that they constitute one-fifth of each of the Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim populations, with many and substantial variations existing within that overall estimate.

(2) This is an extremely important fact, pointing to an existing base for living in peace. Israel does not need to create this cohort, but increase its size. (July 24, 2003)

Aug. 26, 2004 update: A study of "Canada's Pro-Israel Muslims" finds 20 percent of them thinks "Israel is right on just about everything."

Mar. 26, 2009 update: The existence of a Palestinian cohort with pro-Israel views goes back further than most observers realize – right to the start of the Zionist enterprise. For backgrond on the British Mandatory period, see my column today, "Palestinians Who Helped Create Israel."

Dec. 23, 2009 update: Polling in Egypt and Saudi Arabia finds 26 percent and 9 percent, respectively, of the surveyed populations accepting a Jewish State of Israel.

Apr. 12, 2010 update: Asked by An-Najah University, "Do you accept the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with some land exchange as a final solution for the Palestinian problem," a representative Palestinian sample replied 28.3 perecent "yes," 66.7 percent "no" and 5 percent "no opinion/do not know."

May 11, 2010 update: Polling in Jordan and Lebanon finds 9 percent and 5 percent, respectively, of their populations accepting a Jewish State of Israel. Combining these figures with those reported (above) on Dec. 23, 2009 and weighting them by size finds that almost precisely 20 percent accepting Israel as a Jewish state.

Related Topics:  Arab-Israel conflict & diplomacy, Public opinion polls receive the latest by email: subscribe to daniel pipes' free mailing list This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.