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Hamas policemen inspecting the remains of IAF missiles that killed 7 Hamas militants in the southern Gaza Strip as rockets rained on Sderot. (Reuters)
Last update - 07:29 27/02/2008
Poll: Most Israelis back direct talks with Hamas on Shalit
By Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Gilad Shalit, Likud, Hamas

Sixty-four percent of Israelis say the government must hold direct talks with the Hamas government in Gaza toward a cease-fire and the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit. Less than one-third (28 percent) still opposes such talks.

The figures were obtained in a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted Tuesday under the supervision of Professor Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv University.

According to the findings, Israelis are fed up with seven years of Qassam rockets falling on Sderot and the communities near Gaza, as well as the fact that Shalit has been held captive for more than a year and a half.
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An increasing number of public figures, including senior officers in the Israel Defense Forces' reserves, have expressed similar positions on talks with Hamas.

It now appears that this opinion is gaining traction in the wider public, which until recently vehemently rejected such negotiations.

The survey also showed that Likud voters are much more moderate than their Knesset representatives. About half (48 percent) support talks with Hamas.

In Kadima, 55 percent are for talks, while among Labor voters, the number jumps to 72 percent.

With regard to Tuesday's High Court ruling rejecting petitions against ex-president Moshe Katsav's plea bargain, about half of those polled said the decision was not justified.

Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch, who was part of a minority position against the plea bargain, can thus take some comfort that many people are with her. About one-third of those polled supported the majority opinion in favor of the plea bargain.

On the suspended sentence and fine Katsav is likely to receive, about half of those asked (47 percent) said the sentence was not harsh enough, as opposed to 29 percent who said the punishment was "fitting," and 8 percent who said it was "too harsh."

Related articles:
  • Sderot mayor denies calling for cease-fire talks with Hamas
  • Hamas tells Egypt it is ready to discuss truce with Israel, Shalit deal
  • Report: Progress made in deal to free abducted soldier Shalit
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      1.   there you have it 02:39  |  VIPER 27/02/08
      2.   It`s time leaders remembered that they... 02:45  |  Deborah 27/02/08
      3.   Israelies - Thy Keep Making the Same Mistakes 03:04  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/02/08
      4.   Haaretz Poll what a joke 03:57  |  bsideu 27/02/08
      5.   #3-Brave Words From an American Who Doesn`t Have to Live With War 04:21  |  Johan Odin 27/02/08
      6.   Hard Now...harder later 04:56  |  Ghassan 27/02/08
      7.   Sad news 05:03  |  Frank 27/02/08
      8.   From a Palestinian 05:06  |  Ismail 27/02/08
      9.   64% Are Dead Wrong 05:15  |  dyinglikeflies 27/02/08
      10.   The dialogue will go like this: 05:34  |  David 27/02/08
      11.   Reply to #5 - Norwegian Humanitarian 05:37  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/02/08
      12.   Why does Haaretz only care what the "Majority" says when... 06:41  |  Jew 27/02/08
      13.   Newsflash: Haaretz poll reveals moon is pink! 06:45  |  Gili 27/02/08
      14.   Ghassan: Here is the Problem! 06:49  |  Brad 27/02/08
      15.   Commonsense should have prevailed a long time ago!Hamas is in 07:43  |  lakshmi 27/02/08
      16.   ARE THEY CRAZY? 07:46  |  indrajaya 27/02/08
      17.   Who kids who? 07:57  |  thomas 27/02/08
      18.   I don`t believe this numbers 07:57  |  anti-blabla 27/02/08
      19.   SPURRIOUS POLL!!!!! I SMELL A LEFTIST AGENDA!!! 07:59  |  Ben Uziel 27/02/08
      20.   To have a ceasefire or not to have a ceasefire? 08:07  |  Joe 27/02/08
      21.   Peace 08:08  |  Gregor 27/02/08
      22.   Islamists never hold direct talks with Infidels 08:29  |  Sima 27/02/08
      23.   Sheesh! Memo to Haaretz...... Memo to Haaretz 09:35  |  Johnboy 27/02/08
      24.   Talking with Hamas 09:43  |  Josef 27/02/08
      25.   I don`t care what most Israelis think. 09:47  |  JordanisPalestine 27/02/08
      26.   #23, jb 10:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/02/08
      27.   #25 - most Israelis don`t care about what you think 10:41  |  zeev 27/02/08
      28.   I agree 11:07  |  Stephen Murray 27/02/08
      29.   Talking to Hamas (my take). 11:16  |  Guido 27/02/08
      30.   Olmert, Listen to the People 11:21  |  Tzfonit 27/02/08
      31.   Frank of Canada 11:30  |  sh 27/02/08
      32.   #23 Johnboy 11:35  |  MR 27/02/08
      33.   #8 Ismail 11:46  |  MR 27/02/08
      34.   #11 Zuckerman 12:43  |  Johan Odin 27/02/08
      35.   Lakshmi is peddling Common Sense 12:56  |  Tzfonit 27/02/08
      36.   To Ismail in Occupied Jerusalem 13:02  |  Tzfonit 27/02/08
      37.   To No. 6 Ghassan 13:26  |  American Christian 27/02/08
      38.   To No. 8 13:28  |  American Christian 27/02/08
      39.   Pals fed up 13:34  |  Dav 27/02/08
      40.   To No. 8 13:37  |  American Christian 27/02/08
      41.   To No. 21 Joe 13:43  |  American Christian 27/02/08
      42.   #5 Johan Odin 13:50  |  Steve 27/02/08
      43.   To Ghassan and Brad 13:51  |  Ayman 27/02/08
      44.   Direct Talks Between Israel And Hamas 13:57  |  Jeff Northridge 27/02/08
      45.   More Sense Than Their Bankrupt Government 14:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/08
      46.   Ben Uziel, sorry, but you must face the facts 14:37  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/08
      47.   Israel is targeted because it exists. 14:38  |  Steve 27/02/08
      48.   #42 Steve - Palestinians Unilaterally Ceased Fire, but Not Israel 14:45  |  Johan Odin 27/02/08
      49.   Duh! Isn`t it obvious that adversaries should talk? 15:03  |  Toronto`s Finest 27/02/08
      50.   Toronto`s Finest, what would be lost?? 15:23  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/08
      51.   #9 15:41  |  USA fred 27/02/08
      52.   To No. 50 Yaakov 15:41  |  American Christian 27/02/08
      53.   how many possible solutions do we see for 15:54  |  triska 27/02/08
      54.   Johan & Yaakov speak the truth. It is time to TALK! 15:56  |  Toronto`s Finest 27/02/08
      55.   # 50 Yaakov Sullivan. Thanks for the truth. 15:59  |  Toronto`s Finest 27/02/08
      56.   #33 Yes, my mistake, MR 16:02  |  Johnboy 27/02/08
      57.   #49 No, Toronto, it`s a radical concept. 16:06  |  Johnboy 27/02/08
      58.   2d Reply to Norwegian Humanitarian 17:08  |  Tod Zuckerman 27/02/08
      59.   #41 Fake American Christian 17:12  |  Joe 27/02/08
      60.   Yaakov Sullivan Satmar agent 17:36  |  Robert/Montreal 27/02/08
      61.   The meaning of "talking to Hamas" 17:49  |  Tosefta 27/02/08
      62.   MY Dear ZSA Arabist Tzfonit @30 18:00  |  GABE1 27/02/08
      63.   Love it that `they` all tell us what to do 18:02  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/02/08
      64.   Hamas rocket attacks 18:10  |  Malc H 27/02/08
      65.   dyinglikeflies 18:20  |  Gibor 27/02/08
      66.   Tod, #58 - how is the weather in S.F. 18:20  |  Greg 27/02/08
      67.   # 59 Joe. Well said, my friend! 18:21  |  Toronto`s Finest 27/02/08
      68.   Peace is the way 18:27  |  Peaceman 27/02/08
      69.   # 62 Gabe.Another Final Solution ,or this this just the opener? 18:28  |  Toronto`s Finest 27/02/08
      70.   Johan Odin # 48 The Main Problem With Cease Fires 18:36  |  Jeff Northridge 27/02/08
      71.   #58 - Zuckerman`s Powerful Retort 18:39  |  Johan Odin 27/02/08
      72.   hey Toronto`s Finest