Are Jerusalem's Palestinians, Israeli wannabees?

A November 2010 poll of East Jerusalem Arabs by former State Dept. Middle East researcher Dr. David Polluck, a senior researcher at the Washington Institute, shows that more prefer to be citizens of Israel than of a Palestinian state. The poll was conducted by Pechter Middle East Polls in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations, and was released in Washington. The survey results found that for the 270,000 East Jerusalem Palestinians, fully 35 percent said they would choose Israeli citizenship, and only 30 percent said they would prefer to be citizens of Palestine in a two-state solution. The rest had no opinion or answer. "When asked if they would move to a different location inside Israel, if their neighborhood became part of Palestine, 40 percent said they were likely to move to Israel."- Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz "That's why a new poll of the Arabs of East Jerusalem is striking: It shows that more of those people actually would prefer to be citizens of Israel than of a Palestinian state…The poll … may be something of an embarrassment to Palestinian political leaders, who lately have been insisting that Israel should stop expanding settlements in the eastern half of Jerusalem -- in effect giving up any claim to it -- as a precondition for the resumption of peace negotiations. .The awkward fact is that the 270,000 Arabs who live in East Jerusalem may not be very enthusiastic about joining Palestine. Forty percent said they would consider moving to another neighborhood in order to become a citizen of Israel rather than Palestine, and 54 percent said that if their neighborhood were assigned to Israel, they would not move to Palestine."- 01/12/2011 - Why Palestinians want to be Israeli citizens-By Jackson Diehl, The Washington Post. East Jerusalem Palestinians can be categorized differently from West Bank and Gaza Palestinians -- they carry "blue cards", which gives them access to Israeli jobs, medical and welfare benefits. In the survey, 44 percent announced household incomes greater than $1,300 per month. Generally, other polls of Israeli Arab citizens suggest a preference to remaining in Israel, as opposed to joining a Palestinian state. The East Jerusalemites may not love Israel, but like what it offers; freedom of movement, good schools, medical, welfare and jobs. Apparently, Palestinian Nationalism and life in an Arab country is insufficient compensation to the advantages of life in Israeli society. "Remarkably, 56 percent said they traveled inside Israel at least once a week; 60 percent said access to its Mediterranean beaches was "very important" or "moderately important" to them. Quite clearly there is a discrepancy between people's attitudes and the assumption that Palestinian neighborhoods should be part of Palestine," said Pollock, whose work was sponsored by Pechter Middle East polls and the Council on Foreign Relations. "That's not actually what the people want."- J Diehl, 1-12-2011 According to the survey, East Jerusalem Arabs along with other Palestinians, and Israelis, are pessimistic about the peace process. Greater than 40 percent responded that even if Israelis and Palestinians cut a peace deal which assigned East Jerusalem as the capital of a new Palestinian state, the armed struggle against Israel would continue. In addition, 64 percent said it was very likely or somewhat likely, that with the collapse of current negotiations, a new Palestinian intifada would occur. "The bottom line messages seem to be that peace talks are essential to prevent violence, but that even success won't lead to total peace; and that a lot of Palestinians would prefer to live near, but not in, a Palestinian state."- J Diehl- The Washington Post, 1/12/2010 Comments?