[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

You really have to give credit to Dr. Mina Tzemach.

When she discussed how to put together this poll with the folks at Yedioth
Ahronoth they were no doubt struggling to come up with a way to best support
their political agenda (= withdrawal).

So how about this question: "Could Minister Ehud Olmert achieve a public
mandate allowing him to change Jerusalem's status as part of a permanent
peace agreement with the Palestinians if 80% of the ministers were behind
it?"

Try thinking that one through while the kids are hollering for dinner and
you want to sound PC to the anonymous pollster on the line!]
=============

Poll: 37% of Israelis willing to cede sovereignty in Jerusalem's holy sites
Yedioth Ahronoth and Dahaf Institute survey reveals 52% of Israeli Jews
willing to change Jerusalem's status as part of a permanent peace agreement
with Palestinians, but 61% believe Israel should remain city's sovereign
Ynet Published: 10.09.07, 08:24 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3457830,00.html

Despite the ongoing political discussion over the creation of fringe
neighborhoods in Jerusalem, most Israelis are in no hurry to back the
changes suggested by Vice Premier Haim Ramon and Minister for Strategic
Affairs Avigdor Lieberman in the capital's status-quo.

According to a poll carried out by Dr Mina Tzemach and the Dahaf Institute
among the Jewish asult population in Israel and published by Yedioth
Ahronoth Tuesday, while most Israeli Jews are against changing the current
situation in Jerusalem, many are willing to consider changes the status-quo
of the city's holy places.

When asked whether or not Prime Minister Ehud Olmert could achieve a public
mandate allowing him to change Jerusalem's status as part of a permanent
peace agreement with the Palestinians, 52% of those taking part in the poll
said they would lend their support to such a move if 80% of the ministers
were behind it.

Some 22% said they would support the move should a referendum be held, 10%
would support the move as-is and 7% would object to it.

Should Israel compromise Jerusalem's statues as part of any future peace
agreement with the Palestinians?Sixty-three percent of those asked said they
think Jerusalem should not be included in a peace agreement, 21% thought it
should and 16% would agree to it only if the motion was carried out by
referendum.

As for the handing over of Palestinian neighborhoods in east Jerusalem to
the Palestinian Authority, 68% of the poll's participants were against the
idea, 20% agreed with it and 11% said they would agree should a referendum
support the idea.

But what of the holy places in Jerusalem? When asked who should remain
sovereign of the Western Wall and Temple Mount, 61% believed Israel should
be named sovereign, 16% voted for joint Israeli-Palestinian sovereignty, 21%
said the holy places should be under international rule and 1% said Jordan
should be named the holy places' sovereign.