• Methodology
• Sample distribution
• Occupation of respondents
• Results

A random sample of 1,199 Palestinians, over the age of 18 years, were interviewed face-to-face throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip on 24 and 25 October 1996. The interviews were conducted on randomly selected homes, and the subjects inside each home were also selected randomly according to Kish tables. The interviews were conducted in 64 sampling points chosen randomly according to population.

In the West Bank, 753 people were surveyed from the following areas: Bethlehem, Beit-Sahour, Beit-Jala, Batir, Hussan, Hebron, Al-Aroub RC, Halhoul, Bani Na'im, Tarkoumia, Dharia, Dora, Jenin, Toubas, Zababdeh, Jenin RC, Yamoun, Ya'bad, Qabatya, Nablus, Balata RC, Beit Dajan, Burqa, Salfit, Beit Wazan, Beit Iba, Asira Al-Qblieh. Tulkarem, Tulkarem RC, Atil. Qalqilya. Jericho, Al-Ouja. Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Jalazone RC, Birzeit, Tormas Aya, Sinjel, Ramoun, Betin. Jerusalem: Old City, Sheikh Jarah, Wadi al-Joz, Silwan, Rass al-Amoud, Al-Ram, Dahiet Al-Barid, Anata, Anata RC.

In the Gaza Strip, 446 people were surveyed from: Beit Lahia, Rafah, Rafah RC, Al-Sheikh Radwan, Al-Shaja'ieh, Nussir, Rimal, Shamalieh, Rimal Al-Janoubieh, Sabra, Shati RC, Maghazi, Bani Sahila, Deir Al-Balah, Al-Briej, Jabalia, Jabalia RC, Nussirat, Khan Younis, Khan Younis RC.

The major of error is 3% with a confidence level of 95%.

• 58.5% of the respondents were from the West Bank
• 37.2% from the Gaza Strip
• 4.3% from Jerusalem
• 48.7% were male
• 51.3% were female
• 63.1% were married
• 29.4% were single
• 3.9% were widowed
• 1.3% were divorced
• 2.3% No answer
• The average of age of the respondents was 33 years.

Q.1 In general, what is the extent of your optimism about the Palestinian future? Would you say you are very optimistic, somewhat optimistic, optimistic, pessimistic or very pessimistic?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Very optimistic	19.0%	18.2%	20.0%
Somewhat optimistic	55.0%	50.7%	62.8%
Pessimistic	18.3%	21.7%	12.6%
Very Pessimistic	6.4%	7.5%	4.5%
No answer	1.3%	1.9%	0.1%

Q.2 Given the time elapsed since the implementation of Oslo II, to what extent can you say you support or oppose these agreements?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Strongly support	23.5%	21.9%	25.6%
Somewhat support	50.0%	48.9%	52.2%
Do not support	19.2%	21.1%	15.9%
No opinion	7.3%	8.1%	6.3%

Q.3 How do you evaluate the performance of the Palestinian Authority? Would you say its performance is good, average, or poor?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Good	40.5%	37.5%	45.3%
Average	44.7%	45.0%	44.2%
Poor	11.1%	13.1%	8.3%
No opinion	3.7%	4.4%	2.2%

Q.4 How do you evaluate the performance of the following bodies? (TOTAL)
 

	Good	Average	Poor	No opinion
The Security apparatuses	44.0%	34.0%	12.4%	9.3%
The Legislative Council	29.4%	34.7%	16.8%	19.1%
The Executive Authority (the Cabinet)	30.1%	30.8%	13.6%	25.5%
Palestinian educational institutions	67.0%	25.3%	4.8%	2.9%
Palestinian health institutions	50.2%	31.5%	14.4%	3.9%
Palestinian Television	49.3%	20.9%	7.5%	22.3%
Palestinian Radio	61.9%	16.8%	2.8%	18.5%

Q.5 Do you think that President Yasser Arafat is conducting his function as the head of the Palestinian Authority in a good way, bad way, or average way?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Good	68.4%	60.4%	82.1%
Average	20.8%	24.9%	13.0%
Poor	6.1%	8.7%	2.2%
No opinion	4.7%	6.0%	2.7%

Q.6 To what extent would you say that the Palestinian Legislative Council represents the Palestinian people? Would you say that it represents the people in a good way, represents the people but with neutral effect, or would you say that the Council represents the people badly?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Represents the people well	29.3%	26.1%	34.8%
Represents the people but with no effect	50.5%	51.6%	48.7%
Represents the people badly	8.8%	11.1%	4.7%
No opinion	11.4%	11.2%	11.8%

Q.7 There are many ideas currently being debated to solve the problem stemming from the lack of progress in the implementation of the agreement such as the redeployment from Hebron. Some believe that the solution is to intensify the negotiations, others believe that there is no need for further negotiations over already agreed-upon issues, and others believe in the importance of intensifying the struggle as was seen to last month. What would you say?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Intensify the negotiations	44.4%	43.7%	47.3%
There is no need for further negotiations	28.3%	27.2%	28.3%
Intensifying the struggle	20.6%	22.1%	18.4%
No opinion	6.7%	7.0%	6.0%

Q.8 Do you believe that the wave of agitations and confrontations of last month was o benefit to the Palestinian cause?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
The confrontations were beneficial to the Palestinian cause	77.2%	72.8%	83.6%
The confrontations were not beneficial to the palestinian case	10.8%	13.2%	6.7%
The confrontations were detrimental to the Palestinian cause	6.9%	7.5%	6.3%
No answer	5.1%	6.5%	3.4%

Q.9 During and in the aftermath of the incidents last month, how do you evaluate the performance of the PNA in benefiting from them?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
The PNA used these incidents in a manner beneficial to the Palestinian cause	56.5%	54.6%	61.2%
The PNA did not use these incidents in a manner beneficial to the Palestinian cause	10.3%	12.1%	5.6%
The PNA used them but not effectively	28.1%	27.9%	28.9%
No answer	5.1%	5.4%	4.3%

Q.10 Some believe that the intervention of the Palestinian security forces in last month's cofrontations was correct and the others believe that it was not. What is your opinion?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
The intervention of the security forces was correct	90.2%	88.0%	94.2%
The intervention of the security forces was not correct	4.8%	5.3%	3.8%
Other	1.1%	1.4%	0.7%
No answer	3.9%	5.3%	1.3%

Q.11 In general, would you say that you support or oppose the peace process?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Support the peace process	77.5%	72.1%	85.4%
Oppose the peace process	14.0%	16.7%	10.3%
No opinion	8.5%	11.2%	4.3%

Q.12 Which Palestinian political or religious faction do you trust most?
 

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Fateh	42.0%	38.2%	46.9%
Hamas	9.3%	9.8%	9.2%
PFLP	3.3%	3.4%	3.4%
Islamic Jihad	0.8%	0.7%	0.9%
Coalition - Haidar	0.2%	0.1%	--
DFLP	0.4%	0.7%	--
PPP	0.8%	1.3%	0.2%
FIDA	0.6%	0.9%	--
Other Islamic Faction	2.3%	2.1%	2.5%
Others	1.2%	1.5%	0.6%
Do not trust anyone	21.1%	25.8%	13.9%
No answer	18.0%	15.5%	22.4%

Q.13 Which Palestinian personality that you trust most?
 

	Total
Arafat	44.5%
Ahmed Yassin	4.1%
George Habash	1.8%
Haidar Abdul Shafi	6.8%
Hanan Ashrawi	3.8%
Sa'eb Erekat	1.3%
Others	11.5%
Do not trust anyone	14.5%
No opinion	11.7%