Israel Matzav

Poll: Settlers disengage from state

Yediot seems to be surprised at this. I'm not. In fact, I would be surprised if it were otherwise. There's a limit to how much the State can beat up on people and expect them not to lose faith. The only thing that surprises me here is the apparently continuing high motivation to serve in the IDF. By the way, other than that number, I think these numbers would be quite similar if the Haredi community were polled. Distrust of the Supreme Court has been rampant in the Haredi community for years - and for good reason.

A poll conducted among settlers after the evacuation of the Amona illegal outpost has found that two-thirds of the community are disappointed and angry with the State’s policy towards them, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.

Some 71 percent of settler youths who took part in the poll said they trust no one in their struggle against government plans to evacuate more settlers from the West Bank.

The poll, which was conducted among 828 respondents from 43 settlements, also probed the popularity of Yesha council leaders and religious nationalist parties.

About 56 percent of respondents said the National Religious Party and National Union party “failed,” with only 14 percent expressing satisfaction with their policy.

The Yesha Council also saw its popularity drop, with 49 percent of respondents saying its leaders’ strategy towards the government failed, in comparison to 25 percent who approved of the council.

Rabbis were the most popular among respondents.

'Bond between army, settlers must be strengthened'

Three in every four respondents said they do not trust the High Court of Justice, two-thirds distrust the Israel Police, and one-third said they distrust Israelis living within the green line.

The media is perceived as the most anti-settler institution, with 83 percent saying they distrust its coverage of their cause.

About 46 percent said they trust the IDF in comparison to 29 percent who said their trust in the military institution has dwindled since the August disengagement from the Gaza Strip.

Despite the alarming findings, 62 percent of polled youth said confrontations with the army and the police during the disengagement and the evacuation of Amona have not deterred them from enlisting to the national service.

Only 20 percent said they will not serve the army.

Settler leader Pinchas Wallerstein said the poll’s findings are reassuring, citing that a mere 7 percent of respondents said they support having recourse to violence should the government go ahead with further pullouts from the West Bank.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:37 AM