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JMCC Public Opinion Poll No. 32 - Part Two
On Palestinian Attitudes Towards Politics - August 1999



Q.19 If you need to build a residence what are the opportunities of getting a license from your municipality?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Very possible 
 46.8
 50.5
40.5 
In between
 20.9
 15.6
 30.2
Not possible 
 24.4
 28.3
 17.4
No answer
7.9
5.6
11.9
Q.20 How do you evaluate your health insurance system and the medical care provided to you?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Excellent 
 5.4
6.9
2.7 
Very good
 8.6
 8.1
 9.4
Good 
22.9
23.7
21.7
Fair
 17.2
 13.9
 22.9
Weak
 15.8
 13.6
 19.5
I don't have a health insurance
28.8
32.8
22.0
No answer
1.3
1.0
1.8

Q.21 Jerusalem has been closed in front of the people from West Bank and Gaza for several years, how did it affect the following aspects in your life:
 Commerce in general
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
A very positive effect 
 0.4
 0.6
0.1 
A positive effect
 2.4
 3.5
 0.5
It didn't have any effect 
 14.1
 15.3
 11.7
A negative effect
 31.4
 31.7
 30.9
A very negative effect
 47.8
 45.9
 51.3
No answer
3.9
3.0
5.5

 Psychologically - feeling isolated
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
A very positive effect 
0.3 
 0.5
0.0 
A positive effect
 1.0
 1.4
 0.3
It didn't have any effect 
 8.8
 10.0
 6.6
A negative effect
 34.4
 36.7
 30.4
A very negative effect
 52.5
 48.0
 60.4
No answer
3.0
3.4
2.3
 Family relations (with relatives in Jerusalem / West Bank)
Total
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
A very positive effect 
 1.0
 1.1
0.9 
A positive effect
 1.9
 2.2
 1.4
It didn't have any effect 
 27.3
 28.2
 25.9
A negative effect
 27.8
 31.5
 21.3
A very negative effect
 33.3
 32.2
 35.2
No answer
8.7
4.8
15.3
Work conditions
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
A very positive effect 
 0.5
 0.5
0.5 
A positive effect
 1.7
 2.0
 1.4
It didn't have any effect 
 23.7
 24.9
 21.5
A negative effect
 23.6
 25.0
 21.0
A very negative effect
 44.0
 44.8
 42.6
No answer
6.5
2.8
13.0
Freedom of movement
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
A very positive effect 
 0.3
 0.4
0.0 
A positive effect
 1.7
 1.4
 2.1
It didn't have any effect 
 14.0
 17.3
 8.2
A negative effect
 32.5
 31.2
 34.8
A very negative effect
 48.5
 47.3
 50.8
No answer
3.0
2.4
4.1
Cultural opportunities
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
A very positive effect 
0.3 
 0.1
0.6 
A positive effect
 2.7
 2.1
 3.7
It didn't have any effect 
 27.4
 28.7
 25.5
A negative effect
 28.0
 29.9
 24.7
A very negative effect
 33.3
 32.6
 34.6
No answer
8.3
6.6
11.2

I would like to ask you some questions about your activities in your society

Q.22 In our society, there are a large number of civil organizations (non-governmental) like the charitable associations, such as the trade unions, and the youth organizations like clubs, the developmental organizations that provide services in health and agriculture. Also, the research centers, women centers, human right centers, and any non-governmental organization. Are you a member in any of these organizations?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes 
 19.2
 19.1
19.2 
No
 78.0
 78.5
 77.3
No answer
2.8
2.4
3.5
Q.23 If the answer is yes, please mention the name of the organization or organizations which you are a member in?*
 Total
1st mention 
2nd mention 
3rd mention 
Workers unions 
 8.7
 0.0
0.0 
Professionals unions
 6.9
 3.5
 0.9
Athletic clubs and organizations 
 25.7
 0.8
 2.2
Women's organizations
 12.9
 2.5
 0.0
Religious organizations
 2.6
 0.0
 0.0
Health and medical organizations
4.8
2.2
2.7
Educational schools-organizations
4.2
0.4
0.4
Educational centers
1.7
2.1
0.4
Agricultural organizations
3.4
0.4
0.0
Social services 
12.9
10.0
3.4
Human rights organizations
0.4
1.7
0.9
Other organizations
7.5
0.0
0.0
No answer
8.3
76.4
89.1
 West Bank
1st mention 
2nd mention 
3rd mention 
Workers unions 
 11.0
 0.0
0.0 
Professional unions
 4.9
 4.1
 0.7
Athletic clubs and organizations 
 31.7
 0.0
 3.5
Women's organizations
 9.7
 2.0
 0.0
Religious organizations
 2.1
 0.0
 0.0
Health and medical organizations
5.6
2.0
2.8
Educational schools-organizations
3.5
0.7
0.0
Educational centers
0.7
2.1
0.0
Agricultural organizations
2.8
0.0
0.0
Social services 
15.8
13.1
4.8
Human rights organizations
0.0
2.7
0.7
Other organizations
1.9
0.0
0.0
No answer
10.3
73.3
87.5
 Gaza Strip
1st mention 
2nd mention
3rd mention 
Workers unions 
 4.8
 0.0
0.0 
Professional unions
 10.8
 2.4
 1.2
Athletic clubs and organizations 
 16.8
 2.4
 0.0
Women's organizations
 19.1
 3.6
 0.0
Religious organizations
 3.6
 0.0
 0.0
Health and medical organizations
3.6
1.2
0.0
Educational schools-organizations
6.0
0.0
1.2
Educational centers
3.6
2.4
1.2
Agricultural organizations
4.8
1.2
0.0
Social services 
8.4
4.8
1.2
Human rights organizations
1.2
0.0
1.2
Other organizations
13.2
0.0
1.2
No answer
4.1
82.0
92.8
*For those who answered Yes in question 22

Q. 24 In general, how do you evaluate the role of civil organization (non-governmental) in Palestine?*
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Very good 
 2.0
 1.7
2.6 
Good
 27.4
 29.4
 24.0
Bad 
 6.6
 6.3
 7.1
Very bad
 2.9
 3.0
 2.7
Some are good / some are bad
 23.4
 24.9
 20.7
I don't know enough about their role
34.2
30.2
41.1
No answer
3.5
4.5
1.8
* For those who answered No in question 22

Q. 25 If you were a member in any of the mentioned organizations, what is the level of your activities?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I am only a member but not active 
 31.3
 32.2
29.8 
I attend meetings or activities when I am invited
 34.8
 36.3
 32.1
I organize meetings, workshops, or activities
 12.2
 13.0
 10.7
I speak in meetings and participate in elections
 14.3
 13.0
 16.7
No answer
7.4
5.5
10.7

Do you agree or oppose the following:

The Palestinian Authority should implement the law in any case
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I agree 
 82.3
 84.0
79.4 
I oppose
 10.9
 8.8
 14.6
I don't know
 5.5
 5.6
 5.3
No answer
1.3
1.6
0.7
Using violence or threatening to use violence from the elected body for political purposes is not accepted at all
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I agree 
51.5 
52.8
49.0 
I oppose
39.4
39.3
39.6
I don't know
6.3
5.0
8.7
No answer
2.8
2.9
2.7
The right of establishing political parties should be always granted
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I agree 
 66.8
71.6
 58.8
I oppose
14.2
12.0
17.8
I don't know
15.2
12.2
20.4
No answer
3.8
4.2
3.0
The elections could be canceled if the majority decides on this
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I agree 
 51.3
51.4
51.5 
I oppose
34.8
34.6
35.0
I don't know
10.2
10.2
10.1
No answer
3.7
3.8
3.4
The majority could cancel certain laws concerning the minority
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I agree 
 23.5
23.0
24.5 
I oppose
64.3
65.0
62.9
I don't know
8.7
8.3
9.4
No answer
3.5
3.7
3.2
The Judicial system must be independent
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I agree 
 78.1
78.2
 78.0
I oppose
11.0
11.8
9.6
I don't know
8.7
7.7
10.3
No answer
2.2
2.3
2.1

Q. 27 Did you participate in the last legislative elections in Palestine?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
Yes 
58.6 
55.2
64.5 
No
40.5
43.6
35.0
No answer
0.9
1.2
0.5

Q. 28 Do you feel that you are obliged to help others in your society?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
Yes 
80.3 
82.3
76.7 
No
13.3
11.5
16.2
I don't know
5.4
5.4
5.5
No answer
1.0
0.8
1.6

Q. 29 If a problem rises in your quarter or village, how do you deal with it?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
I interfere by listening to both sides and try to reconcile between them 
 35.0
 37.0
31.5 
I interfere by listening to both sides and stand by the right opinion
 27.8
27.0 
 29.1
I don't interfere
34.2
33.8
34.8
I don't know
 2.5
 1.8
 3.9
No answer
 0.5
0.4 
 0.7

Q. 30 In your opinion do you feel that most people now like to be useful to others or most of them care about their own personal interest?
 
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza 
Most people would like to help others 
 6.8
 6.4
7.4 
Mot people care about their own personal interest
 65.9
 67.6
 62.9
Nearly half of the people care about their own personal interest while the other half cares about others
25.0
24.1
26.8
I don't know/I have no opinion
 2.0
 1.6
 2.7
No answer
 0.3
0.3 
 0.2