JMCC POLL: Palestinians continue to support attacks on Israeli civilians -
violence seen as positive

[IMRA: Contrary to the "common wisdom" expressed by various politicians and roadmap supporters, the most recent poll of Palestinians by the JMCC demonstrates that only a small minority of Palestinians (15.2%) believe that a violence free approach best serves the Palestinians. The overwhelming majority (65.3%) support continuing the Intifada, 60.5% support military operations inside the Green Line and 59.9% support suicide bombing operations against Israeli civilians.

Why are so many politicians, journalists and analysts so out of touch with the true feelings of the Palestinian street? A mixture of wishful thinking and selective exposure. Some try to mold reality to meet their needs while others mistakenly assume that their multilingual Palestinian contacts are in fact telling them what the Palestinian street thinks instead of what these Palestinians believe serves Palestinian interests for the politicians, journalists and analysts to think the Palestinian street thinks.

It should be noted that there is every indication that the respondents are expressing their true views. A poll in Syria would no doubt find 99.9% trusting Assad most while this poll finds only 21.1% trusting Yasser Arafat the most and 36.1% not trusting anyone. ]