New Peace Now Study Finds Most Settlers Willing To Evacuate; Financial Compensation Preferred Solution

Press Release

July 24, 2002

Washington, D.C.—Americans for Peace Now (APN) today released a new study from the Israeli Peace Now movement that found over two-thirds of Israeli settlers in the occupied territories would obey a democratic decision to withdraw from their communities, while an absolute majority would see financial compensation as the preferred solution to the question of their evacuation. Only a tiny minority of settlers would resist evacuation by all means, while a small minority would refuse any solution involving evacuation. Further, the new Peace Now study found that the vast majority of settlers chose to live in the occupied territories for “quality of life” issues, not ideological or religious reasons. APN’s mission is to enhance Israel’s security through peace and to support the Israeli Peace Now movement.

“The latest Peace Now survey of settlers is significant because it tears away the mask of the Settlers Council, which tends to represent some of the most militant settler views, and presents a picture of settlers who are much more pragmatic, respectful of the democratic process, and willing to accept reasonable compensation for their current homes,” said Mark Rosenblum, Founder and Policy Director of Americans for Peace Now. “We found that the attitude of most settlers will not constitute an obstacle to achieving a peace agreement that includes the withdrawal from settlements. Further, it appears that the current Israeli government’s insistence on pouring more money into the settlements and refusing to dismantle any of these communities is, in effect, holding settlers hostage who would be willing to make ‘aliyah’ (i.e., move to Israel proper) if provided the financial resources to do so.

“This Peace Now study underscores two points that we have been making for some time. First, Israel needs to create a government body to prepare the infrastructure for the withdrawal of settlers in exchange for compensation. This body should delineate the policy for settler relocation in terms of land, the creation of communities, and other government support. This new entity should also respond to requests from settlers who want to leave immediately. Second, since most Israelis recognize that a Palestinian state will be created in the occupied territories and most settlers prefer compensation in exchange for withdrawal, the Israeli government must stop its enormous financial outlay in the settlements and use at least part of these funds to establish a fair compensation system for settlers in order to ensure their smooth relocation inside Israel.”

Peace Now found that 68% of settlers recognize the authority of the democratic institutions of Israel (such as the Knesset, the government, the Jewish majority in the Knesset and/or a referendum) to decide on withdrawal from the settlements and would conform to such a decision. Another 26% of settlers would obey such a decision to withdraw following a struggle against it by legal means; Only 6% of settlers said that they would struggle against such a decision even with illegal means including endangering themselves or their families; Of this 6%, only one-third (or 2% of the total) may be identified as “extremist” according to all the parameters of the study in that they are willing to use force of arms against withdrawal; If a decision is taken for withdrawal, 59% would consider suitable financial compensation as the best solution. Ten percent would prefer to move to a community inside the Green Line instead of financial compensation; Another 23% of settlers would prefer moving as a community to another settlement in the occupied territories as compensation. Just 9% would refuse any solution; The readiness to accept financial compensation is highest among settlers who define themselves as secular or traditional. Those who define themselves as ultra-orthodox are moderately willing. Those most unwilling in this matter are those who define themselves as national-religious; The most extreme group of settlers is to be found in the small settlements near the large Palestinian cities. In the areas designated for “settlement blocs,” according to efforts such as the Beilin-Abu Mazen or Barak plans, the willingness to withdraw in exchange for financial compensation is high. These settlers would also obey the decision of democratic institutions; The main reason that 77% of settlers chose to live in settlements is “quality of life.” Just 20% of settlers moved to the occupied territories for religious reasons. Only 3% of settlers chose to live in their communities because they believe that the settlements provide national security; and An absolute majority, 55%, of settlers agree in principle that there should be an effort to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians. Within the Green Line, 69% of a control group of Jewish Israelis hold that position.

Geographic Consequences of The Peace Now Survey:

This map rates settlements on their level of readiness to leave, with a scale running from a high level of readiness to very low (i.e., above 50% of settlers who object to leaving for compensation). Among the settlements in Gaza that fall into the “very low readiness” category are: Morag; Bnei Atzmon; Gan Or; and Bdolah. In the West Bank, those settlements in the “very low readiness” category include: Elon More; Kedumim; Yitzhar; Rahelim; Eli; Shilo; Ma’ale Levona; Ateret; Kochav Ya’akov; Bat Ayin; Migdal Oz; Teko’a; Noqedim; Kiriat Arba; and Telem.

Expected Response:

This map rates settlements on their level of expected responses to a democratic decision to have Israel withdraw from settlements, with a scale running from “will accept a democratic decision” to “will oppose using all means.” Among the Gaza settlements that fall into the category of “will oppose using all means” are: Netzarim; Kfar Darom; Katif; and Pe’at Sade. In the West Bank, those settlements in this category include: Sa Nur; Homesh; Kedumim; Beracha; Itamar; Yitzhar; Shilo; Halamish; Ateret; Kochav Ya’akov; and Kiriat Arba.

METHODOLOGY:

The Peace Now study was designed, conducted, and analyzed by Dr. Micha Hopp (Hopp Research Company). An academic committee of professors from Tel Aviv University (Yitzhak Schnell, Dan Jacobson, and Yohanan Peres) supervised the research and analysis throughout the process. The data is based on a representative sample of 3,200 households in 127 settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as a control group of 800 Jewish Israeli citizens living within the Green Line. Approximately 4,000 telephone interviews were conducted, constituting an exceptionally large sample. Residents were interviewed in every settlement numbering 150 persons (roughly 30 households) or more; residents of most of the smaller settlements were interviewed as well. In order to neutralize the influence of extraordinary events, the study was conducted in three waves, from April to July 2002. The data were collected by two survey institutes working separately in order to ensure reliability.