![John Kerry](https://a7.org/files/pictures/781x439/414574.jpg)
Neither Jews nor Arabs have much hope for the success of John Kerry's latest foray into Mideast peace making. In a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute in the days before Kerry's latest visit to Israel, 71% of Jewish Israelis and 72% of Arab Israelis said they believed Kerry had a low chance of succeeding in restarting Israel-PA peace talks. Only 22% of Jewish Israelis and 20% of Arab Israelis said that chances are high.
Most Jewish Israelis - 64% are in favor of negotiations, as are 95% of Arab Israelis, the poll said. However, only 29% of Israeli Jews believe negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority will lead to peace in the coming years, while 69% believe they will not. 47% of Israeli Arabs believe they will, and 42% believe they will not.
There's little doubt in the minds of both Jews and Arabs in Israel that their government is interested in peace. Majorities of both Jewish (57%) and Arab (51%) respondents believe that the Israeli government does want to resume to peace talks. There are differences of opinion, however, on the sincerity of the Palestinian Authority: A majority of Jewish Israelis (67%) believe that the Palestinian Authority does not want to resume peace negotiations, while a majority of Arab Israelis (86%) believe it does.
Of Israeli Jews who believe that the PA wants to return to talks, 68% think Israel should show greater flexibility in negotiations, such as willingness to surrender more territory in exchange for interim agreements. Among Jewish Israelis who believe that the Palestinians do not really want to resume talks, only 24% think Israel should show greater flexibility. Overall, 58% of Israeli Jews say that Israel need not show greater flexibility in order to facilitate the resumption of negotiations, while 37% think Israel should. 91% of Israeli Arabs hold that Israel should show greater flexibility, and 6% think Israel should not.
In the event that a deal does come about, 42% of the Jewish public and 35% of the Arab public believe Prime Minister Netanyahu will succeed in convincing the Likud to support an agreement based on two states. 45% of the Jewish public and 48% of the Arab public believe he will not.