Summary: Introduction
The poll indicates continued decline in support for the peace process and the Oslo accords. The decline began to emerge about a year ago.
The decline shown this year is a departure from the first four years of Oslo, when the Palestinian public showed consistent support for the Palestinian-Israeli peace process despite sudden and dramatic changes in the political and economic. Greater opposition to Oslo has been drawn not only from former supporters, but from people who previously had no opinion.
The negative trend can be measured through three main indicators: support for Arafat, his faction Fateh and the peace process itself.
In December 96, Arafat was considered the most trusted politician by 42% of those surveyed. Now the number has declined to 32.6%.
In October 96, Fateh's Support was measured at 42%. That number has fallen to 34.4%
In December 96, support for the peace process was 78.1%. Now 55.6% expressed strong or lukewarm support for the peace process.
Moreover, Palestinians opposing Oslo accords increased from 23.1% in November 1997 to reach 36% this August; the increase in opposition came at the expense of those who had know position regarding Oslo, which was 4.1% in November 1997 going down to 1.2% this August.
Results were obtained through a random sample poll of 1,192 people throughout the West Bank and Gaza conducted on August 27-28, 1998.
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