A majority of Israelis want Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to meet with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
The poll was conducted by the Midgam polling agency on behalf of the left-wing ‘Geneva Initiative’ group, which since 2003 has pushed for the formation of a Palestinian state spanning the vast majority of Judea and Samaria.
According to the survey, 51% of Israelis would support a meeting between Bennett and Abbas, compared to 39% who say they would object to such a meeting.
Among Yamina voters, just 40% support such a meeting, while 82% of Yesh Atid voters and 93% of Blue and White voters back a Bennett-Abbas meeting.
Exactly half of respondents said they believe that Mahmoud Abbas’ replacement will be worse for Israel, compared to just 16% who said that the next Palestinian Authority leader will likely be better for Israel than Abbas.
The poll also found that if the Bennett government pursues final status talks with the Palestinian Authority, it will increase support for the government among 43% of respondents, with 38% saying it would diminish their support for the government. The increase in support would largely come from voters for the Labor, Blue and White, and Yesh Atid factions.
Nearly half (49%) of respondents said they back open talks with Hamas, compared to 40% who oppose such dialogue.
Two-thirds (67%) of respondents said they believe former President Donald Trump when he told reporter Barak Ravid that former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was never interested in reaching a peace deal with the Palestinian Authority.