Methodology
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%.
Sample Distribution
-
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.
Occupation respondents
Students 11.5%
Waged labourers 12.4%
Housewives 35.9%
Employees eg. secretaries/teachers/nurses/municipal employees
16.3%
Businessmen/private business 6.7%
Farmers/fishermen 1.1%
Craftsmen 1.3%
Professionals - eg. doctors/lawyers/pharmacists/engineers
2.6%
Unemployed 7.2%
Retired 1.7%
No answer 0.8%
Results
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%
|
