1. The 1993-2011 Oslo state of mind has dominated Israeli and Western policy makers and public opinion molders, irrespective of its track record, which features unprecedented Palestinian hate-education, terrorism and non-compliance by PLO and Hamas alike. Israeli and Western policy makers are determined to learn from history by repeating – and not by avoiding – past critical errors. They are the role model of: “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.”
However, the Israeli People have demonstrated realism and optimism in defiance of wishful-thinking and vacillation.
2. According to the January, 2011 Peace Index, which is published annually by Prof. Efraim Ya’ar and Prof. Tamar Harman of the Center for Peace Research at Tel Aviv University, most Israelis have sustained their position on the Arab-Israeli conflict, irrespective of local and international media, of international pressure, of Israel’s academia and of the Oslo-driven policies pursued by all Israeli governments since 1992.
3. According to the January 2011 Peace Index, two thirds of Israeli Jews oppose a withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for a peace accord with Syria. They oppose the Golan-for-Peace proposition. The two thirds opposition to such a proposition has been sustained since 1994.
4. According to the January, 2011 Peace Index, two thirds of Israeli Jews are convinced that the Palestinians do not consider the two-states-solution an end to their conflict with the Jewish State. Two thirds of Israeli Jews believe that the Palestinian goal and strategy is not coexistence with – but the destruction of – the Jewish State. The Peace Index indicates that a recent poll of Palestinians documents an overwhelming support of the destruction of the Jewish State.
5. According to the January, 2011 Peace Index, 73% of Israeli Jews are optimistic personally and nationally.