Poll shows backing for Sharon

2004-04-05 13:28

Jerusalem - Most Palestinians and Israelis support Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's controversial disengagement plan, under which the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip will be evacuated, according to a poll published on Monday.

A total of 64 percent of Israelis questioned for the survey for the top-selling Yediot Aharonot daily said they backed the plan. The figure rose to 73 percent among Palestinians, even though their government has been kept out of any negotiations.

A majority of Israelis (62 percent) and Palestinians (58 percent) said that the pull-out should be conducted through negotiations and not unilaterally.

Infrastructure

Asked whether Israel should destroy the settlements when it withdraws or leave the infrastructure intact, 49 percent of Israelis backed their destruction, while 39 percent said they should be handed over to Palestinians. However, 76 percent of the Palestinian respondents said that the buildings, and not just the land, should be handed over.

Sharon told Israeli radio on Monday that he had no intention of demolishing the settlements, but he did want compensation for them.

After originally saying that 17 of the 21 settlements in Gaza would be evacuated, Sharon also said on Monday that he favoured a withdrawal from all of them, as well as "no more than four" settlements in the West Bank.

Under the project, Israel will also strengthen control over other West Bank settlements.

A total of 505 Israelis and 1 320 Palestinians were questioned for the poll.

- AFP