Friday, August 28, 2009

70% of Likud Against Netanyahu Policies


Maayana Miskin
A7 News

Seventy-four percent of the public believes it is “not OK” that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made unilateral decisions regarding a building freeze instead of consulting with his cabinet and coalition. The widespread opposition to Netanyahu's decision was revealed this week in a Maagar Mochot (Brain Base) poll, commissioned by Dr. Aaron Lerner's IMRA (Independent Media Review and Analysis).The public also opposes the government policy of demolishing unauthorized Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria. Some 61 percent of those surveyed thought that the issue of unauthorized Jewish outposts should be solved by granting the outposts official government approval, instead of destroying them.

70% of Likud Against Netanyahu Policies

The poll found strong disagreement to Netanyahu's recent decisions among those who voted for Netanyahu's Likud party in the most recent election. Seventy percent of Likud voters said they opposed plans to freeze Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria and parts of Jerusalem, while 73 percent said the government should grant authorization to so-called “illegal outposts” instead of seeking to demolish them.

58%: Peace Now Really is a Virus

Pollsters also discovered that despite overwhelming media criticism of Minister Moshe Yaalon, who last week termed the Peace Now group “a virus,” the public tends to agree with Yaalon's remarks. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed expressed agreement with Yaalon, and said that Peace Now has caused significant damage to the state of Israel.

Only 28 percent of those surveyed did not agree that Peace Now has harmed the state.

MK Akunis: Respect Netanyahu

MK Ofir Akunis of Likud warned Thursday against attempts from within the Likud camp to protest Netanyahu. The “most important thing” is to support the prime minister, Akunis told Israel Radio.

Akunis, a former Netanyahu aide, expressed confidence that if the prime minister decides to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority, he will be more successful than previous prime ministers, and would demand concessions such as PA recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and a real attempt to stop terrorism.

The Likud MK called on his fellow MKs to avoid “the mistakes of the past,” saying that those who caused Netanyahu's first government to fall later regretted their act.

First-time MK Akunis joined the Likud in Knesset in the 20th slot, after replacing Moshe Feiglin in that spot. Feiglin lost his place as a result of a Likud elections court ruling, after Akunis argued that slot 20, which had gone to Feiglin based on voter support, should have been given to a regional representative such as himself. The ruling knocked Feiglin down to spot 36, leaving him without a chair in the 19th Knesset.

Comment: I find it most interesting what is occurring today, some 4 plus months after the new administration has taken control. I also have followed Dr. Aaron Lerner's work and respect his research and positions. however, this time there are many questions that need to be asked: A7 News has only highlighted but one of the outcomes of the latest survey, tell me more about the sample and the other questions. I am troubled by the so-called "lack of consultation", how does any one know? Is it possible that his opposition has decided to pose questions, secure surveys that cause his administration consternation without much basis for truth? Why so willing to jump to conclusions that are,in my opinion, not merited as of this writing? Have we not been down this road before and lived toregret it? Are our memories so short?

No comments: