MOSCOW. July 12 (Interfax) - Russians believe the United States is primarily responsible for instability in the Middle East, with the majority staying neutral towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a poll showed.
According to 20% Russians, the United States is primarily responsible for the continued bloodshed and instability in the Middle East, sociologists from the Levada-Center told Interfax after conducting the nationwide poll.
Fourteen percent of respondents blamed the Islamist fundamentalists, 8% - Israel, 6% - Western countries and NATO, he said. Five percent blame Arabs and oil companies for everything, and 3% blame international terrorist number one Osama bin Laden.
Thirty-four percent could not answer the question.
Sixty-five percent of respondents also said they were certain that terrorism can only be resolved by destroying terrorists. This percentage is three times that of people who favored talking to terrorists and finding solutions acceptable for all (22%).
Most Russians (64%) have taken a neutral stand in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 14% respondents sympathize with the Palestinians and 9% to the Israelis, the Levada-Center poll has shown.
Thirty-five percent of respondents opposed the blockade imposed by Israel on the supply of cargo to the Hamas-control Gaza strip, 28% backed such a decision by Tel Aviv and 37% could not answer.
The Israeli Gaza blockade has been in place since 2006, when Palestinian radicals captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Later Israel tightened the blockade after the radical movement Hamas seized control of Gaza.
Meanwhile, on June 17 the Israeli government's Security Cabinet resolved to weaken the Gaza blockade and to allow the supply of consumer goods and non-military cargo.
The decision was made two weeks after the incident, in which Israeli commandos stormed the aid flotilla which was carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza.