Eight-in-Ten (79%) Canadians Believe We Should Not Take Either Side in Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
Three-in-ten (28%) Feel Blame for the Current Conflict is Evenly Split Between the Two Combatants, While One-Quarter Blame the Palestinians (25%) or the Israelis (23%)
Toronto, ONTARIO - According to a new Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll released tonight, eight-in-ten (79%) Canadians say that Canada should not pick sides in the latest Middle East conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Less than one-in-ten feel that Canada should take the side of the Israelis (7%), while an equal number (6%) believe Canada should take the Palestinian side of the conflict.
While Canadians do not want to choose sides, they do have opinions on the issues. A majority (54%) express the view that the Israeli's use of force in responding to Palestinian violence has been excessive. The opposing view, that Israel has used the appropriate amount of force, is held by three-in-ten (30%), while 16% said they "don't know".
Canadian opinion is split on who should take the first step to restore peace in the region -- four-in-ten (41%) Canadians say that the Palestinians should take the first step and end the suicide bombings even before the Israelis agree to end military action. One-third (33%) hold the counter view that Israel should take the first step and end the military action before the Palestinians agree to end the suicide bombing campaign.
When asked who is more to blame for the recent violence, three-in-ten (28%) say that the Israelis and the Palestinians are equally to blame, while roughly one-half of Canadians say that the blame for the violence rests with either the Palestinians (25%) or the Israelis (23%).
Half (49%) of Canadians say that Canada should favour creating a Palestinian state, while one-third (35%) believe we should not favour this objective. Sixteen percent say they "don't know" on this issue.
These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll conducted between April 9th and April 11th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 1996 Census data.
Eight-in-Ten (79%) Canadians Believe We Should Not Take Either Side in Israeli - Palestinian Conflict
Canadians appear to desire Canadian foreign policy neutrality in the recent Middle East conflict. Eight-in-ten (79%) Canadians say that Canada should not pick sides in the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Less than one-in-ten feel that Canada should take the side of the Israelis (7%), while an equal number (6%) believe Canada should take the Palestinian side of the conflict.
- British Columbians (89%) appear to be the ones most likely to desire Canadian neutrality on the issue. This compares to 79% of Ontarians and 72% of Quebecers.
- Quebecers (16%) are the most likely to say that Canada should take the side of the Palestinians in the conflict. This compares to 4% in Alberta, 3% in Ontario, 2% in Atlantic Canada and Saskatchewan/Manitoba, and 1% of those in British Columbia.
- Men (8%) are more likely than women (4%) to say that Canada should take the side of the Palestinians in this conflict.
- Support for the Israelis is strongest in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (14%), Ontario (10%), Atlantic Canada (10%) and Alberta (9%). While those in Quebec (4%) and British Columbia (3%) are less likely to say that we should take the Israeli side in the Middle East conflict.
However, Over Half (54%) Feel Israelis Have Used Excessive Force In Response to Palestinian Violence
While Canadians do not want to choose sides, they do have opinions on the issue. A majority (54%) express the view that the Israeli's use of force in responding to Palestinian violence has been excessive. Three-in-ten (30%) hold the opposing view, that Israel has used the appropriate amount of force, while 16% say they "don't know".
- Residents of Quebec (73%) are more likely than those in other regions to believe that the Israelis have used excessive force in dealing with the latest round of violence, followed by those in British Columbia (55%), Alberta (53%) and Ontario (47%). Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (41%) and Atlantic Canada (35%) are the least likely to express this view.
- Those in Atlantic Canada (50%) are the most likely to feel that the Israelis have use the appropriate amount of force in dealing with the Palestinians, followed by those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (37%), Ontario (35%), Alberta (30%), and British Columbia (30%). Quebecers (16%) are the least likely to express this view.
- While men (36% versus 25% of women) are more likely to feel that the level of force has been appropriate, men (52%) are as equal as women (55%) to say that it has been excessive.
Canadians Split Over Who Should Take the First Step in Restoring Peace - 41% Name the Palestinians While One-Third (33%) Name Israel
As for who should be the first to extend an olive branch of peace there is not a clear consensus. Four-in-ten (41%) Canadians say that the Palestinians should take the first step and end the suicide bombings even before the Israelis agree to end military action and one-third (33%) hold the opposite view believing that Israel should take the first step and end the military action before the Palestinians agree to end the suicide bombing campaign.
- Residents of Alberta (48%) and Atlantic Canada (47%) are the most likely to express the view that the Palestinians should take the first step towards a cease-fire. Followed by those in Ontario (44%), Quebec (37%), British Columbia (36%), and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (35%).
- Regionally, those in Quebec (41%), British Columbia (39%) and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (38%) are more likely to believe the opposite, that Israel should call off military actions even before the Palestinians end the campaign of suicide bombings. They are followed by residents of Atlantic Canada (29%), Ontario (28%) and Alberta (24%).
- There are no significant differences among age or income groups, or between genders on this issue.
Three-in-ten (28%) Feel Blame for the Current Conflict is Evenly Split Between the Two Combatants, While One-Quarter Blame the Palestinians (25%) or the Israelis (23%)
Blame for the recent violence is spread around fairly evenly. When asked who is more to blame for the recent violence, three-in-ten (28%) say that the Israelis and the Palestinians are equally to blame.
- Residents of Alberta (36%) and British Columbia (35%) are more likely to believe that the blame is evenly spread between the two combatants. This compares to the views of residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (28%), Ontario (26%), Quebec (26%) and Atlantic Canada (24%).
- Canadians in the oldest (36%) age group are more likely to express this view on blame, than those in the middle aged (28%) or younger (21%) age groups.
Equivalent numbers of Canadians say that the violence should be the blame specifically of the Palestinians (25%) and the Israelis (23%).
- Residents of Ontario (30%) and Atlantic Canada (30%) are more likely to place the blame with the Palestinians than those in British Columbia (25%), Alberta (21%) or Saskatchewan/Manitoba (19%). Residents of Quebec (17%) are least likely to place the blame on the Palestinians.
- Quebecers (36%) are more likely to say that the Israelis are the most to blame for the violence. This compares to those in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (25%), Atlantic Canada (20%), and British Columbia (20%), while residents of Alberta (18%) and Ontario (18%) are least likely to express this view.
- Younger (26%) and older (24%) Canadians are more likely than their middle aged (21%) counterparts to feel that the Israelis are the most to blame.
Half (49%) of Canadians Favour Creating a Palestinian State
Half (49%) of Canadians say that Canada should favour creating a Palestinian state, while one-third (35%) believe we should not favour this objective. Sixteen percent say they "don't know" on this issue.
- Regionally, support for this objective is strongest among those in British Columbia (60%) and Quebec (54%). This compares to those in Ontario (47%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (45%), and Alberta (43%), while residents of Atlantic Canada (37%) are the least likely to favour this objective.
- Men (60%) are more likely to favour the creation of a Palestinian state than women (39%).
- Support is strongest among those 35 years of age and older (53%) when compared to those 18 to 34 years of age (42%).
- Canadians from households with incomes of $60,000 or more (57%) and those with incomes of between $30,000 and $60,000 (51%) are more likely than those from households with incomes of below $30,000 (41%) to favour the creation of a Palestinian state.
To view the complete release and tables, please download the attached PDF files.
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For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Public Affairs
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900