Israelis overwhelming favor pursuing a regional peace deal, and would even support an Israeli prime minister who formed a new political party aimed at securing such an accord, according to a new poll conducted by the Israeli Peace Initiative Group.

According to the survey, a majority of the respondents – some 72 percent – think that Israelis are interested in reaching an agreement that would bring an end of the conflict. Unfortunately, a similar percentage (77%) claimed the Palestinians were not…A total 76 percent responded positively to the entirety of Kerry’s frame-work agreement, if it were achieved.

The figures came a day after news emerged that Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas had “exploded with rage” at Kerry, describing Washington’s proposals for advancing talks as “insane.” The confrontation, which occurred during a meeting between the two figures in Paris, came after Palestinian leaders explicitly signaled that they would reject Kerry’s terms.

Reports published in the last few days indicate that President Barack Obama intends to deepen his personal involvement in trying to hammer out a peace deal, most immediately by pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an upcoming Oval Office meeting.

[Photo: U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv / Flickr ]