62.3% of Israelis Oppose Surrender of Golan Heights, New Poll Finds

A new poll has found that 62.3% of Israelis oppose surrendering the Golan Heights to Syria, and only 21.2% favor giving up the Golan. The latest poll was taken by the respected Steinmetz Center of Tel Aviv University. It asked a scientifically-selected sample of Israeli citizens: "What is your position regarding a full peace treaty between Israel and Syria in exchange for withdrawal from the Golan Heights?"

Fully 62.3% said they are "greatly against" or "somewhat against," while only 21.2% said they were "greatly in favor" or "somewhat in favor."

Morton A. Klein, National President of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) said: "It is not surprise that so many Israelis oppose surrendering the Golan Heights to Syria, in view of the fact that Syria is intensifying its efforts to develop chemical and biological weapons; Syria is continuing to wage war by proxy against Israel, by sponsoring attacks on Israel by the Lebanese Hezbollah terrorists; Syria permits at least ten major international terrorist groups to maintain facilities in Damascus and in Syrian-occupied Lebanon; the Syrian government-controlled media is filled with anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incitement; and Syrian dictator Hafez Assad has broken every international agreement he has ever signed.

In view of Assad's record, the Israeli public has good reason to fear that giving him the strategically-crucial Golan Heights could put Israel in grave danger. Furthermore, the Golan has been part of the Land of Israel since the biblical era, and was a major center of Jewish life and culture all the way up until the Muslim invasion in the 7th century CE."

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