Do you want him dead or suffering?

AFP reports on an opinion poll conducted in Israel by the Maagar institute on the occasion of Arafat's illness. According to the results, 47% of Israelis want Arafat to die. Of the 32% who disagreed with wanting Arafat dead, a majority still wanted him to continue to suffer. As for the Israeli government's decision to let Arafat out of his long siege in order to get treatment, 58% agreed and 36% disagreed.

More striking than the answers are the questions. If there was a poll in which people were asked whether they want Sharon to die, or at least to suffer, and whether he should be allowed to have treatment without which he may die, one can imagine the cries of anti-Semitism and the (justified) chorus of protest from all quarters.