Q. What, in your view, is the single biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East?
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
Unwillingness of Israelis/ Palestinians to compromise | 33% | 38% | 31% | 37% |
The Israeli (housing) settlements in areas which Palestinians claim for an independent Palestine | 6% | 6% | 7% | 14% |
Israel’s oppression of Palestinians | 8% | 8% | 8% | 15% |
Palestinian terror attacks on Israelis | 5% | 3% | 7% | 5% |
Infighting between the various Palestinian organisations (e.g. Hamas and Fatah) | 6% | 5% | 7% | 4% |
Inaction by the United Nations | 3% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Opposition to Israel from other Middle Eastern countries | 8% | 7% | 9% | – |
Don’t know | 31% | 29% | 28% | 23% |
One third (33%) of respondents think that the unwillingness of Israelis and Palestinians to compromise is the single biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East and a further one third (31%) do not know. The remaining 36% selected a range of reasons including Israel’s oppression of Palestinians (8%) and opposition to Israel from other Middle Eastern countries (8%).
There were few substantial differences across voter groups.