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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lewis
Roth July 24, 2002 (202)
728-1893 New Peace Now Study Finds Most
Settlers Willing To Evacuate; Financial Compensation Preferred Solution New Maps Available Online Washington, D.C.—Americans for Peace Now
(APN) today released a new study from the Israeli Peace Now movement that found
over two-thirds of Israeli settlers in the occupied territories would obey a
democratic decision to withdraw from their communities, while an absolute
majority would see financial compensation as the preferred solution to the
question of their evacuation. Only a tiny minority of settlers would resist
evacuation by all means, while a small minority would refuse any solution
involving evacuation. Further, the new Peace Now study found that the vast
majority of settlers chose to live in the occupied territories for “quality of
life” issues, not ideological or religious reasons. APN’s mission is to enhance
Israel’s security through peace and to support the Israeli Peace Now movement. “The latest Peace Now survey of settlers
is significant because it tears away the mask of the Settlers Council, which
tends to represent some of the most militant settler views, and presents a
picture of settlers who are much more pragmatic, respectful of the democratic
process, and willing to accept reasonable compensation for their current
homes,” said Mark Rosenblum, Founder and Policy Director of Americans for Peace
Now. “We found that the attitude of most settlers will not constitute an
obstacle to achieving a peace agreement that includes the withdrawal from
settlements. Further, it appears that the current Israeli government’s
insistence on pouring more money into the settlements and refusing to dismantle
any of these communities is, in effect, holding settlers hostage who would be
willing to make ‘aliyah’ (i.e., move to Israel proper) if provided the
financial resources to do so. “This Peace Now study underscores two
points that we have been making for some time. First, Israel needs to create a
government body to prepare the infrastructure for the withdrawal of settlers in
exchange for compensation. This body should delineate the policy for settler
relocation in terms of land, the creation of communities, and other government
support. This new entity should also respond to requests from settlers who want
to leave immediately. Second, since most Israelis recognize that a Palestinian
state will be created in the occupied territories and most settlers prefer
compensation in exchange for withdrawal, the Israeli government must stop its
enormous financial outlay in the settlements and use at least part of these
funds to establish a fair compensation system for settlers in order to ensure their
smooth relocation inside Israel.” Principal Findings: Peace Now found that 68% of settlers
recognize the authority of the democratic institutions of Israel (such as the
Knesset, the government, the Jewish majority in the Knesset and/or a
referendum) to decide on withdrawal from the settlements and would conform to
such a decision. Another 26% of settlers would obey such a decision to withdraw
following a struggle against it by legal means; Only 6% of settlers said that
they would struggle against such a decision even with illegal means including
endangering themselves or their families; Of this 6%, only one-third (or 2% of
the total) may be identified as “extremist” according to all the parameters of
the study in that they are willing to use force of arms against withdrawal; If
a decision is taken for withdrawal, 59% would consider suitable financial
compensation as the best solution. Ten percent would prefer to move to a
community inside the Green Line instead of financial compensation; Another 23% of
settlers would prefer moving as a community to another settlement in the
occupied territories as compensation. Just 9% would refuse any solution; The
readiness to accept financial compensation is highest among settlers who define
themselves as secular or traditional. Those who define themselves as
ultra-orthodox are moderately willing. Those most unwilling in this matter are
those who define themselves as national-religious; The most extreme group of
settlers is to be found in the small settlements near the large Palestinian
cities. In the areas designated for “settlement blocs,” according to efforts
such as the Beilin-Abu Mazen or Barak plans, the willingness to withdraw in
exchange for financial compensation is high. These settlers would also obey the
decision of democratic institutions; The main reason that 77% of settlers chose
to live in settlements is “quality of life.” Just 20% of settlers moved to the
occupied territories for religious reasons. Only 3% of settlers chose to live
in their communities because they believe that the settlements provide national
security; and An absolute majority, 55%, of settlers agree in principle that
there should be an effort to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
Within the Green Line, 69% of a control group of Jewish Israelis hold that
position. Geographic Consequences of The Peace
Now Survey: Readiness: A complete PDF map showing the geographic
implications of the new Peace Now survey in terms of the readiness of specific
settlements to leave the occupied territories in exchange for compensation can
be found at: <http://www.peacenow.org/readiness.pdf> This map rates settlements on their level
of readiness to leave, with a scale running from a high level of readiness to
very low (i.e., above 50% of settlers who object to leaving for compensation).
Among the settlements in Gaza that fall into the “very low readiness” category
are: Morag; Bnei Atzmon; Gan Or; and Bdolah. In the West Bank, those
settlements in the “very low readiness” category include: Elon More; Kedumim;
Yitzhar; Rahelim; Eli; Shilo; Ma’ale Levona; Ateret; Kochav Ya’akov; Bat Ayin;
Migdal Oz; Teko’a; Noqedim; Kiriat Arba; and Telem. Expected Response: A complete PDF map showing the geographic
implications of the new Peace Now survey in terms of the expected response of
specific settlements to a democratic decision to withdrawal can be found at: http://www.peacenow.org/readiness.pdf This map rates settlements on their level
of expected responses to a democratic decision to have Israel withdraw from
settlements, with a scale running from “will accept a democratic decision” to
“will oppose using all means.” Among the Gaza settlements that fall into the
category of “will oppose using all means” are: Netzarim; Kfar Darom; Katif; and
Pe’at Sade. In the West Bank, those settlements in this category include: Sa
Nur; Homesh; Kedumim; Beracha; Itamar; Yitzhar; Shilo; Halamish; Ateret; Kochav
Ya’akov; and Kiriat Arba. METHODOLOGY: The Peace Now study was designed,
conducted, and analyzed by Dr. Micha Hopp (Hopp Research Company). An academic
committee of professors from Tel Aviv University (Yitzhak Schnell, Dan
Jacobson, and Yohanan Peres) supervised the research and analysis throughout
the process. The data is based on a representative sample of 3,200 households
in 127 settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as a control group of 800
Jewish Israeli citizens living within the Green Line. Approximately 4,000
telephone interviews were conducted, constituting an exceptionally large
sample. Residents were interviewed in every settlement numbering 150 persons
(roughly 30 households) or more; residents of most of the smaller settlements
were interviewed as well. In order to neutralize the influence of extraordinary
events, the study was conducted in three waves, from April to July 2002. The
data were collected by two survey institutes working separately in order to
ensure reliability. -30- Lewis Roth, Assistant Executive Director | ||