WINEP says Palestinians are where they are INTENDED to be: Hopeless!

"... Until now, much of the media has speculated about Palestinian popular opposition to the negotiations. But the two new polls, taken separately in the first half of August, show that the people of the West Bank and Gaza are now swinging solidly behind compromise positions on several contentious core issues.

Admittedly, recent history suggests that these shifts may be fragile, reversible, or perhaps even irrelevant. New Israeli-Palestinian clashes, a fresh round of perceived provocations, or failed talks would likely spark a popular backlash. And Hamas aside, Palestinian political figures are deeply divided even within Fatah. In addition, Palestinians outside the West Bank and Gaza -- who are not represented in the new polls -- almost certainly harbor more hardline views. Even inside the territories, most of the public remains highly skeptical about the actual prospects for peace, while a large and vocal minority remains adamantly opposed. Indeed, most Palestinians objected to resuming direct negotiations without advance commitments on timetables, terms of reference, and an Israeli settlement freeze...."