Ready to talk (RC)

The majority of Palestinians favor using the tactics of Hezbollah against Israel, says the Associated Press from Jerusalem.

AP cites a poll conducted jointly by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah.

Of course, Hezbollah fired almost 4,000 rockets at Israel and its civilian population during the recent war. 

The same poll, however, showed that even more Palestinians support the cease-fire with Israel. 

The poll also found that a majority of Israelis favor talks with the Palestinian government, even if it is lead by the Islamic Hamas. 

Israel, the U.S. and Europe are boycotting the Hamas’ government, citing Hamas, as a terror group. Hamas’ suicide bombers have killed hundreds of Israelis.

Gaza City has seen much recent violence as gun battles between Hamas’ militiamen and Fatah have broken out. Fatah dominates the Palestinian security forces although the Ministry of the interior’s 3,000 armed men are Hamas-led.   

Civilians ran for cover as Hamas broke up an anti-government rally by force of arms. A half-dozen people were killed and more than 100 wounded in a couple of days of clashes.  In retaliation, Fatah torched  the Palestinian Cabinet building on the West Bank.

The poll of Palestinians showed that 63 percent favored launching rockets at Israeli cities and killing civilians, while 35 percent were opposed. 75 percent favored abducting Israeli soldiers.  23 percent were opposed. 

Hama’s terrorists captured a soldier in a cross-border raid at the end of June, setting off the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Three weeks later, Hezbollah triggered a war by capturing two Israeli soldiers in Israel, over the Lebanese border.

The poll also found that 77 percent of Palestinians favor a cease-fire with Israel.

74 percent believe that armed action is not enough — they must reach a political agreement with Israel. 

Despite the recent violence, the poll found an increasing number of Israelis prepared to talk to a Palestinian government with a Hamas element. 

67 percent favor talks with a unity government with the more moderate Fatah alongside Hamas. 56 percent backed talks with a Hamas-led government.