Half of Israelis favour settlement policy changes to avert further sanctions, poll finds

Half of Israelis surveyed favour changing settlement and construction policies in the West Bank to prevent escalating sanctions and international isolation, according to research by the Israeli social research group aChord. The October poll also found that Britain’s restrictions on illegal settlements had no detectable net effect on voting in Israel’s general election.

The UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, announced a ban on trade in goods from illegal settlements and wider sanctions in September. Critics argued that the measures could push Israeli voters towards Benjamin Netanyahu. But three-quarters of respondents supporting the bloc backing Netanyahu said the British policies had not influenced their vote. Among the small number whose choices changed, movement in opposing directions left no discernible overall impact.

Awareness of the British announcement was widespread: just over three-quarters of respondents had heard about it, although 18% knew only the broad headline. Of those aware of the announcement, four-fifths understood that the measures concerned the West Bank rather than Israel as a whole. Nevertheless, many respondents feared that the trade restrictions could eventually be extended across Israel.

Views on changing settlement policy differed sharply between political camps. Among voters supporting the opposition Change bloc backing Gadi Eisenkot, 71% favoured adjustments to avoid further sanctions. Just 14% of Netanyahu bloc voters agreed, with most instead supporting continuation regardless of the cost. Support for changing the policy was strongest among voters backing Arab parties.

Relations with western countries were an important or very important voting consideration for 60% of Change bloc supporters, compared with 30% of Netanyahu bloc supporters. Even among Change voters, however, those relationships ranked fifth among six suggested voting motivations. Hannah Weisfeld, director of the British-Jewish organisation Yachad, interpreted the findings as evidence that Israelis recognise the likelihood of international pressure if settlement policy remains unchanged. She said they reinforced the importance of action by Britain and other allies targeting the occupation.

The survey also suggested that resistance to settlement policy grows when sanctions could carry a personal financial cost. Only 36% supported continuing the policy if sanctions against banks financing construction in illegal settlements resulted in higher interest rates or problems transferring money overseas or using credit cards abroad.

Attitudes also varied according to the sanctions involved. A majority, 52%, supported sanctions against individual violent settlers, provided the measures were confined to those committing violence. Among Netanyahu bloc supporters, 70% opposed foreign sanctions under any circumstances. The settlement goods ban attracted broader opposition: 63% rejected it, while 26% either supported it outright or would do so if its exclusion of goods from outside settlements were emphasised.