Poll: 63% Say Settler Violence Wrong

A Geocartography poll commissioned by Army Radio on Thursday morning found that 70 percent of those polled blamed Wednesday's violence in Amona on past Israeli governments who encouraged the settlement enterprise. Of those asked, 63% said that while they understood the settlers' sense of betrayal, their use of violence was unjustified.

A whopping 85% told pollsters that they believed the demolitions were politically motivated.
The settlers and their supporters were held responsible by 39% while 19% blamed the police and 31% apportioned blame equally between the two sides.

In addition, 64% blamed the leaders of the Council of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza (Yesha) for Wednesday's incident, 57% blamed the rabbis who educated the youths and 51% blamed Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government for failing to reach a peaceful resolution to the violence.

During the clashes, thousands of protesters barricaded themselves in, on, and around the buildings slated for destruction. They pelted security forces with rocks, sand, and anything else within reach. The troops responded with a great deal of force as well.

At least 219 people were wounded during the clashes. Fifteen remained in the hospital on Thursday morning, Army Radio reported.