国际英语新闻：Israeli, Palestinian public pessimistic about prospect of peace talks: survey

JERUSALEM, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- While international community is attempting to persuade Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume peace negotiations, re-launched in early September, an overwhelming majority of people on both sides of the conflict are pessimistic about the prospect of the process.

The latest survey, conducted by the Harry S. Truman Research Institute of the Hebrew University and the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah, concludes that only 6 percent of Palestinians and 5 percent of Israelis think there are high or very high chances that the negotiations will yield an agreement.

Though over 50 percent of Israelis believe that both sides are of equal need of success in the stalled direct talks, almost 80 percent support their continuation despite the recent difficulties encountered. On the Palestinian side, only 30 percent see a need to continue the talks, while 64 percent opine they are in greater need of them succeeding than the Israelis.

The poll was planned and supervised by Prof. Yaacov Shamir of Hebrew University and Prof. Khalil Shikaki of the Palestinian center. They said neither Palestinians nor Israelis consider it likely that an independent Palestinian state will be established and coexist with Israel in the next five years.

Asked what should be done in case negotiations fail, the option endorsed by almost 70 percent of the Palestinians surveyed is to ask the UN Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state, while 54 percent of Palestinians support a unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian state and over a half support the option of initiating a nonviolent resistance. A considerable portion of Palestinians, 41 percent, said they would support the resumption of armed resistance.

The survey also sheds light on the apprehension Israelis feel regarding a failure of the process. Though 63 percent said they fear the Palestinians will resort to violence, only 29 percent support accepting the Palestinian demand for a full construction freeze in the West Bank.