Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Israel would back a motion to launch a large scale military operation in Gaza, according to a poll by Shvakim Panorama released by Israel Radio. 57.2 per cent of respondents support this idea, while 30.7 oppose it.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Israel would back a motion to launch a large scale military operation in Gaza, according to a poll by Shvakim Panorama released by Israel Radio. 57.2 per cent of respondents support this idea, while 30.7 oppose it.

Fatah candidate Mahmoud Abbas won the January 2005 presidential ballot in the Palestinian Territories with 62.32 per cent of all cast ballots. In January 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council election, securing 74 of the 112 seats at stake. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh officially took over as prime minister in March. The Israeli government believes Hamas is directly responsible for the deaths of 377 citizens in a variety of attacks, which include dozens of suicide bombings.

In February 2007, Hamas and Fatah leaders reached an accord which set the guidelines for a power-sharing Palestinian administration, headed by Hamas, which would "respect" past peace agreements with Israel. In June, amid a wave of violent clashes between Palestinian supporters of the Hamas and Fatah factions, Hamas militants seized control of Gaza. Abbas issued a decree to form a 12-member emergency government—based in the West Bank—and expelled Hamas from the administration. Fatah member Salam Fayyad was appointed as prime minister by Abbas.

The Islamic Jihad organization has been launching Qassam rockets into Israel from Gaza almost daily since Hamas took control of the territory. Israel holds Hamas responsible for the attacks for allowing the Islamic Jihad and other groups to act against Israel. In January, Israel completely sealed off its borders with the Gaza Strip.

Yesterday, Israeli analyst Dan Dyker said Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert could call a ground offensive in Gaza at any moment, declaring, "Strategic depth on the ground, control on the ground in Gaza, from a military standpoint, a defence standpoint, is critical to stopping this type of rocket fire. There’s really very little other option to do it."

John Holmes—the United Nations (UN) top humanitarian official—urged Israel to stop the blockade against Gaza, saying, "I have been shocked by the grim and miserable things I have seen and heard about during the day. (...) These grim and miserable things are the result of the current restrictions on the crossings into Gaza, and the very limited amounts of foods and other materials being allowed in. So what is essentially needed is an opening of the crossings, a lot more goods coming in."

Polling Data

Should there be a large scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip?

Yes

57.2%

No

30.7%

Don’t know

12.1%

Source: Shvakim Panorama / Israel Radio
Methodology: Interviews with 491 Israeli adults, conducted on Feb. 13, 2008. No margin of error was provided.