Mob attacks researchers who found few Palestinians want their old homes now in Israel

Independant.co.UK ^ | 14 July 2003 | Eric Silver

[Nachum]

A mob of about 100 Palestinian refugees stormed the office of a Ramallah polling organisation yesterday to stop it publishing a survey showing that five times as many refugees would prefer to settle permanently in a Palestinian state than return to their old homes in what is now Israel.

The protesters pelted Khalil Shikaki, the director of the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, with eggs, smashed computers and assaulted the nine staff members on duty. A female worker was treated in hospital for her injuries. "This is a message for everyone not to tamper with our rights," one of the rioters said.

Dr Shikaki, a leading West Bank political scientist, was undeterred. He said he was still putting the survey results on the centre's website and seeking the widest possible exposure. "These people," he said, "had no idea what the results were. They were sold disinformation."

The poll, conducted among 4,500 refugees in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Jordan, was the first to ask where they would want to live if Israel recognised a right of return.

Only 10 per cent of the refugees chose Israel, even if they were allowed to live there with Palestinian citizenship; 54 per cent opted for the Palestinian state; 17 per cent for Jordan or Lebanon, and 2 per cent for other countries. Another 13 per cent rejected all these options, preferring to sit it out and wait for Israel to disappear, while 2 per cent didn't know.

The future of more than three million refugees is critical to any lasting peace. It was one of the unresolved issues that caused the July 2000 Camp David summit to break down.

• The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad warned yesterday they would end a truce announced last month if the Palestinian Authority continued to try to disarm them.

[dennisw]

btttttttttttt

[DoctorMichael]

This would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

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[Principled]

The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad warned yesterday they would end a truce announced last month if the Palestinian Authority continued to try to disarm them.

That's odd.

Hasn't the PA been saying they've been providing security for years? Why the sudden change?

[EggsAckley]

I don't understand why that 54% doesn't demand that Arafart step down or build up a place for them to be. It's so obvious that Arafart wants them do stay homeless so that they will stay suicidal. There's something extremely wrong with these peoples' brain processes. Inbreeding perhaps?

[Nachum]

More like brainwashing.

[savedbygrace]

The future of more than three million refugees is critical to any lasting peace.

Refugees. They're still refugees for more than thirty years now? Heck, many of them aren't even that old. Why do they get called refugees?

Or am I misunderstanding?

[mewzilla]

Well, if other countries, like Jordan, took them in there wouldn't be a Palestinian problem, would there? And you know what that would mean. You'd think there'd be a single bright bulb among three million people, though. Too bad.

[Nachum]

You mean three billion, I think.

[mewzilla]

Well, I was just counting Palestinians, not all Islamists.

[McGavin999]

I don't understand why that 54% doesn't demand that Arafart step down or build up a place for them to be

Well, probably because each one thinks that if they did, the 100 people who stormed the office of the pollster would instead come after them. I think there is as much fear in "Palestine" as there was in Iraq.

[Courier]

"• The Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad warned yesterday they would end a truce announced last month if the Palestinian Authority continued to try to disarm them."

We warn you Palestinian Authority. Come any closer to disarm us and we kill the Jews!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only with the Palestinians is this not a comedy routine.

[cidrasm]

Refugees. They're still refugees for more than thirty years now? Heck, many of them aren't even that old. Why do they get called refugees?

AKA professional victims that can transcend generations.

[Steve Eisenberg]

I don't understand why that 54% doesn't demand that Arafart step down or build up a place for them to be.

For starts, they share Arafat's goals. Most of them would rather wait until after Israel is destroyed before returning to their supposed ancestral home.

[Taiwan Bocks]

Speaking of the vile goat, Arafat...

His past of murdering opposition can't be overlooked.

A third of the first intifada casualties were Palis killing Palis labeled 'collaberators.'

Mr. Sh#t, Arafat, has always publicly murdered all opposition and all competition.

No threat from Abbas, the 'horse and donkey' show those two pull off, 'good cop bad cop' is laughable except for it's evil intent.

[DannyTN]

"Only 10 per cent of the refugees chose Israel, even if they were allowed to live there with Palestinian citizenship; 54 per cent opted for the Palestinian state; 17 per cent for Jordan or Lebanon, and 2 per cent for other countries. Another 13 per cent rejected all these options, preferring to sit it out and wait for Israel to disappear, while 2 per cent didn't know.

If Israel was smart they would pay to relocate the 17 percent that want to live in Jordan or Lebanon and the 2% that want to live elsewhere.

Once 19% start leaving maybe the rest will too.