Poll: Most Israelis Want Truce With Hamas

Two-Thirds Support Talks With Arch-Enemy; Israeli Air Strike Kills 5 Hamas Militants

(CBS/AP)  As Israel's military continues its targeted campaign against Palestinian militants a new poll released Wednesday shows that almost two-thirds of the Israeli public supports direct peace talks with the arch-enemy, the militant group Hamas.

The poll, carried out by the Dialog company and published in the left-leaning Haaretz daily, showed that 64 percent of Israelis believe Israel should talk to Hamas now to bring a halt to the steady barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and to win the release of a captured soldier, Cpl. Gilad Schalit.

Cpl. Schalit was seized in June 2006 by Hamas militants and has been held in Gaza since then as talks on a prisoner swap have stalled.

"The poll reflects the view among a growing number of Israelis that a truce is the only way to stop daily Palestinian rocket attacks," reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger.

Only 28 percent of Israelis reject talks with Hamas, according to the poll, that included 500 respondents and had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

The findings run contrary to Israeli government policy and most of the rhetoric coming from both civilian and military officials. The official line from leaders has been, and remains, that no negotiations will be held with Hamas until the rocket attacks stop and the group recognizes Israel's existence, reports Berger.

Several Hamas officials have proposed a truce with Israel.

Israel's government has opposed a truce with Hamas due to fears the Islamic group which wrested control of the Gaza Strip could use it to rearm for another round of conflict.

However, some Israeli officials have recently expressed support for such talks. Those officials include former heavyweights in Israel's defense establishment and Eli Moyal, mayor of the town of Sderot, which is bombarded almost daily by Gaza militants.

Moyal, seen at left standing next to the remnants of spent Palestinian rockets which landed in and around Sderot, came out in favor of peace-talks with Hamas in a radio interview on Sunday.

In the short term, the possibility of any cease-fire agreement seems unlikely, given intensifying violence between Hamas militants and Israeli forces.

An Israeli aircraft blew up a minivan carrying Hamas gunmen in southern Gaza on Wednesday, killing five militants, including two key commanders involved in rocket attacks on Israel, the group said.

After the strike, burned bodies in camouflage uniforms were visible in the white minivan. Berger reports Palestinian officials said a senior rocket engineer and a rocket squad commander were among the dead.

The air strike came on the heels of a Palestinian rocket attack on Israel that left a 10-year-old Israeli boy wounded Monday in Sderot. His arm was partially severed and reattached in surgery.

Berger says the number of Israelis supporting negotiations is far more than in previous polls. "The idea of talking to Hamas was once unthinkable because the group was behind dozens of bloody suicide bombings a few years ago and its charter calls for the destruction of Israel.

"But, recently radio talk shows have featured some former defense officials who say the only way to stop the rocket fire is to talk to Hamas about a truce," said Berger, who confirmed the significance within Israel of the Sderot mayor's comments.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday that a peace deal with the Palestinians wouldn't necessarily be concluded by the end-year target that he and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas set.

"The desire is to make an agreement within the year 2008," he told business leaders in Tokyo. "I'm not sure we will be able to achieve it, and certainly not to implement it in the year 2008."

President Bush oversaw a Mideast peace summit in November where he announced that Israel and the Palestinians would aim to achieve a comprehensive peace deal by the end of this year. Mr. Bush has expressed hope and confidence repeatedly since the summit in Maryland that the goal could be achieved.

Two other Hamas members were wounded in the Gaza air strike Wednesday, according to Hamas and Dr. Moaiya Hassanain of the Gaza Health Ministry.

Minutes after the first explosion, an Israeli missile struck another car nearby. Witnesses said the militants had abandoned that vehicle for the white minivan shortly before the strike. There were no casualties in the second attack.

"This is a new Israeli crime. It shows the bloody-mindedness of the occupation," said Hamas spokesman Taher Nunu.

The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, which it said targeted vehicles transporting militants.

The body of another Palestinian militant killed in central Gaza overnight was brought to the hospital in Gaza on Wednesday morning. The Islamic Jihad group said the man was one of its gunmen who had been killed in a clash with the Israeli military. The army said a militant approached the Gaza-Israel border fence late Wednesday and that soldiers had seen an explosion, likely caused by explosives the militant was carrying.

Israel's military operations in Gaza have not succeeded in stopping or even slowing the rocket fire.

Israel has been working to isolate Hamas since the Islamic group came to power in Gaza in June 2007. Hamas has been labeled a terror organization by Israel, the U.S. and EU.

In addition to its military strikes, Israel has imposed tough economic sanctions on Gaza, blocking most exports and allowing little more than basic humanitarian goods into the area.

The sanctions have caused widespread shortages of basic goods in Gaza. On Wednesday, the area's main water provider urged residents to boil all drinking water, citing a dire shortage of chlorine as a result of the blockade.

The Coastal Municipality Water Utility made the announcement in radio and newspaper advertisements. It said there was a "major concern over a health disaster due to possible contamination of the drinking water" and appealed to the international community for help.

Israeli officials were looking into the report and had no immediate comment.

[guadalcanal3]

The problem is: Hamas does not want a truce with the Israelis.

[rowdytexan2]

Meanwhile it was not Israel that declared war on the arabs in 1948, and certainly not in 1967--all that bluster that they were going to throw the jews into the sea--so at least lets keep the facts straight
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by lfitts1 at 05:44 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Kinda reminds ya of all that bluster Dubya the buffoon shoots over to the Middle East about how he''s going to sanction and/or invade Iran over nukes they don''t even have, doesn''t it?

[lfitts1]

Try again--this time use facts
Posted by lfitts1

The facts depend on which side you get your information. My point is this entire war is based on religion. Israel would not be there if it weren''''t for religious interests.

Posted by Displeased

Meanwhile it was not Israel that declared war on the arabs in 1948, and certainly not in 1967--all that bluster that they were going to throw the jews into the sea--so at least lets keep the facts straight

[displeased]

Posted by terrorislama

Gots to go. Have a nice night.

[displeased]

should there still be virgin sacrifices??? or any human sacrifices??? get real,,,
your rights end where another persons rights begin,,,
Posted by terrorislama

Yes, they still have witch trials and stone people to death and the oppression of women is sick, so there religion is keeping them in the stone ages. Our religion does the same, just not as severe. Religion causes delusions and allows justification for hatred, bigotry, and violence and I don''t want any part any of it. But I would agree, muslims are more barbaric, but I don''t support Israel for their cause.

[displeased]

israel grants equal rights to all,,,
when will the muslim majority countries???
Posted by terrorislama

Was it an issue before Israel moved in? If these countries are muslim, I expect muslim lifestyles. I don''t personally plan to force myself on their lands because the bible tells me that''s my prophecy.

[ladyjaneg]

All right, I''m heading off for the night! Time to go home and cook dinner!! :D I''m going to make apple pie for dessert!! XOXOXXOX Good night!

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by terrorislama at 04:40 PM : Feb 27, 2008

But you can''t become a citizen unless you prove that you have Jewish roots in your family. You can become a resident which is almost as good as citizen.....but based on that, I don''t think you can honestly and truly say that Israel grants equal rights to all.

[displeased]

Try again--this time use facts
Posted by lfitts1

The facts depend on which side you get your information. My point is this entire war is based on religion. Israel would not be there if it weren''t for religious interests.

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by terrorislama at 04:27 PM : Feb 27, 2008

I''m glad we''re cool. :)

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by terrorislama at 04:14 PM : Feb 27, 2008

I''m sorry! Can we please just move on now? I''m not quite sure what I can do but apologize, I''m being sincere.

[lfitts1]

Do you want to remember who declared war on whom in 1948??
Posted by lfitts1

It was the Israelis removing Palestinians from their homes.

Posted by Displeased

Try again--this time use facts

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by terrorislama at 04:03 PM : Feb 27, 2008

My head is defensive because when you post I don''t like your tone. It''s very smug. I apologize for misunderstanding you, darling. Can we move on now?

Abdoul-- thanks sweetie! :D

[abdoul_pasha]

Ladygone, you are apologised. No problem

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by Displeased at 03:57 PM : Feb 27, 2008

LOL, if my boss has evil outlooks it''s because I''m overworked and underpaid and he thinks that''s fair LOL. ;) xxo

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by Displeased at 03:57 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Oh, I feel so silly. Sorry everyone!! I''m gonna go hide now lol. Especially sorry to you Abdoul..I misunderstood and thought terror was tlkaing about you and wanted to defend a friend :)

[displeased]

But darling, why don''''t you ask him?
Posted by LadyJaneG

I think terrorislam was talking about your boss, implying your boss has evil outlooks because he/she is muslim.

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by terrorislama at 03:56 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Nope Chinese buddhist. :)

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by terrorislama at 03:51 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Darling, why are you asking me? (By the way, I know the reason why you ask. The wine right?) Well even if he is, if he drinks, he''s just like any other Muslim who sins. Christians sin too, for example, I''m pretty sure most of the western world has premarital relations, for example. But darling, why don''t you ask him?

[ladyjaneg]

Posted by Abdoul_Pasha at 03:48 PM : Feb 27, 2008

Oh nice!!! I hope you enjoyed it!! That was really sweet of her! :D