Poll of Palestinians by PCPO May 24 - 30, 2002

Poll 98 June 5, 2002
Public Opinion Survey conducted by the PCPO

(58.3%) support holding legislative elections.
(61.5%) support freedom of media and speech.
(63.1%) trust the Palestinian Press and Media.
(72.5%) support changing the Palestinian government
(68.6%) support the restructuring of Palestinian Authority (PA).
(63.9%) support merging the different security services into one structure.
(51.9%) consider that the resignation of Nabil Amro, the Palestinian
Minister for parliamentary affairs is a step in the right direction.
(71.6%) believe in the significance of Civic Society Associations (CSO's) in
upgrading and supervising the performance of the PA.
(45.3%) believe that Arafat's call for reformation was only to get out of a
plight.
(52.5%) believe that decisions made by the PA will remain in the hands of
limited number of people.
(51.2%) believe that the PA will benefit from past experience to run future
affairs.
(67.0%) support Javier Solana's statements and calls on the PA to be more
transparent, accountable and democratic.

Beit Sahour

A poll was conducted by the PCPO and prepared by President Dr. Nabil
Kukali included a random sample of 1006 Palestinian adults, 18 years and
older, from the West Bank including East Jerusalem. The poll reveals that
(50.8%) of the Palestinians believe that changing the Palestinian government
and forming a new government is highly necessary, while (20.7%) believe it
is somewhat necessary, (9.4%) somewhat unnecessary, (8.6%) absolutely
unnecessary, and (10.5%) express no opinion.

However, (30.8%) of the Palestinians evaluate the PA's performance
as very bad, while (23.4%) evaluate it is poor, (17.2%) good, (5.1%) very
good, (16.7%) not good and not bad, and (6.8%) are noncommittal. When asked
"In the first meeting that the Palestinian leadership held on May 3, 2002, a
political reformation plan was placed. Do you think that the leadership will
or not comply with this plan?" a plurality (51.5%) believes that the
Palestinian leadership will not comply by the plan, while (34.4%) believe it
will comply by it, and (14.1%) express no opinion.

In addition, (42.0%) of the Palestinians believe that President
Arafat's call for political reformation from within institutions of the PA
was only a response to an American and Israeli demand, while (28.3%) believe
it is a Palestinian, American, and Israeli demand, (20.5%) a Palestinian
demand, and (9.2%) are noncommittal.

A majority (45.3%) of the Palestinians believes that Arafat's call
for reformation was to get out of a plight, while (17.7%) believes that the
call came out of a conviction for change and reformation, (26.5%) believes
that it came out to get out of a plight as well as a conviction, and (10.5%)
express no opinion.

A considerable majority (51.9%) of the Palestinians believe that the
resignation of the Palestinian Minister for parliamentary affairs Nabil Amro
was a step in the right direction, while (28.6%) of the Palestinians believe
it was a wrong and hasty decision, and (19.5%) express no opinion.

When asked "Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat
disagree, or strongly disagree that it is necessary to restructure the
hierarchy of the PA in order to give a broader margin of democracy"? (45.7%)
say they strongly agree, while (23.9%) say they somewhat agree, (10.5%)
somewhat disagree, (6.1%) strongly disagree, and (13.8%) express no opinion.

However, (36.6%) of the Palestinians support the call of the
European foreign policy coordinator, Mr. Javier Solana, on the PA to be more
transparent, accountable, and democratic, while (30.4%) somewhat support,
(8.9%) somewhat oppose, (8.6%) strongly oppose, and (15.5%) refrain from
answering this question.

Less than one-third (29.4%) of the Palestinians strongly support the
call of some Gulf newspapers on President Arafat to merge the different
security services in one structure, separate security work from political
work, restore security as well as other sorts of reformation, while (34.5%)
somewhat support, (12.7%) somewhat oppose, (8.7%) strongly oppose, and
(14.7%) are noncommittal.

When asked "In the light of the bloody recent events that included
the siege of Arafat's compound in Ramallah, and the wide-scale Israeli
incursion into the Palestinian territories, do you believe that differences
and divisions among Palestinians will take place in the future that will
undermine the democratic process?" a majority (46.7%) gives a positive
answer while (35.5%) give a negative answer, and (17.8%) say "do not know".

In response to the questions related to the PA's function in the
future, the results was as follows:

1. The PA will exert utmost efforts for applying democratic principles that
will enable citizens to participate in the decision making process. Answers
were as follows: (17.8%) strongly agree, (33.8%) somewhat agree, (23.1%)
somewhat disagree, (20.0%) strongly disagree, (5.3%) "no opinion".

2. Mutual trust between the PA in its current structure and citizens will
remain high. Answers were as follows: (9.4%) strongly agree, (25.0%)
somewhat agree, (31.8%) somewhat disagree, (29.8%( strongly disagree, (4.0%)
"no opinion".

3. I believe in current PA officials and their objectivity in the decision
making process. Answers were as follows: (5.5%) strongly agree, (17.6%)
somewhat agree, (29.0%) somewhat disagree, (41.5%) strongly disagree, (6.4%)
"No opinion".

4. The PA will guarantee freedom of expression and that people will be free
to criticize it. Answers were as follows: (11.7%) strongly agree, (27.9%)
somewhat agree, (30.6%) somewhat disagree, (25.0%) strongly disagree, (4.8%)
"No opinion".

5. The PA will respect independency of the judiciary system, and will not
interfere in courts' performance. Answers were as follows: (11.1%) strongly
agree, (29.3%) somewhat agree, (30.7%) somewhat disagree, (21.6%) strongly
disagree, (7.3%) "No opinion".

6. The PA will listen to suggestions and complaints of the Palestinian
citizens. Answers were as follows: (11.8%) strongly agree, (33.2%) somewhat
agree, (27.9%) somewhat disagree, (21.0%) strongly disagree, (6.1%) "No
opinion".

7. The PA will very efficiently manage financial resources. Answers were as
follows: (10.9%) strongly agree, (23.3%) somewhat agree, (31.5%) somewhat
disagree, (29.8%) strongly disagree, (4.5%) "No opinion".

8. Decision making in the PA will remain in the hands of a limited number of
few individuals. Answers were as follows: (27.2%) strongly agree, (25.3%)
somewhat agree, (23.5%) somewhat disagree, (17.1%) strongly disagree, (6.9%)
"No opinion".

9. Citizens of the Palestinian territories will be able to freely express
their views. Answers were as follows: (10.5%) strongly agree, (29.3%)
somewhat agree, (32.0%) somewhat disagree, (22.0%) strongly disagree, (5.9%)
"No opinion".

10. The PA will hold ministers and high ranking officials that are
accountable for infringing laws. Answers were as follows: (13.0%) strongly
agree, (17.7%) somewhat agree, (28.2%) somewhat disagree, (35.5%) strongly
disagree, (5.6%) "No opinion".

11. The PA will respect individuals' right for free expression even if their
opinion opposed that of the PA. Answers were as follows: (12.7%) strongly
agree, (26.9%) somewhat agree, (28.5%) somewhat disagree, (26.7%) strongly
disagree, (5.2%) "No opinion".

12. The PA will promote democracy and human rights. Answers were as follows:
(12.5%) strongly agree, (29.1%) somewhat agree, (28.3%) somewhat disagree,
(22.9%) strongly disagree, (7.2%) "No opinion".

13. The PA will provide security and order in the Palestinian territories.
Answers were as follows: (20.5%) strongly agree, (33.1%) somewhat agree,
(23.1%) somewhat disagree, (18.6%) strongly disagree, (4.7%) "No opinion".

14. The PA's violation of freedom of press and media will undermine their
credibility. Answers were as follows: (22.3%) strongly agree, (38.4%)
somewhat agree, (22.2%) somewhat disagree, (12.6%) strongly disagree, (4.4%)
"No opinion".

15. The PA will keep its policy of personal and partisan loyalty as well as
nepotism in the appointment of people. Answers were as follows: (30.7%)
strongly agree, (26.3%) somewhat agree, (22.4%) somewhat disagree, (15.0%)
strongly disagree, (5.6%) "No opinion".

16. The PA will allow peaceful empowerment to another party if potential
election results gave it the majority of votes. Answers were as follows:
(10.3%) strongly agree, (22.6%) somewhat agree, (28.1%) somewhat disagree,
(31.3%) strongly disagree, (7.7%) "No opinion".

17. The PA will benefit from past experience to handle next stage. Answers
were as follows: (16.8%) strongly agree, (34.4%) somewhat agree, (21.6%)
somewhat disagree, (15.8%) strongly disagree, (11.4%) "No opinion".

A considerable majority (44.9%) of the Palestinians believes that
the PA's administration of the Palestinian territories will lead the country
in the wrong direction, while (35.5%) believe that it will lead in the right
direction, and (19.6%) express no opinion.

Also the PA's management of foreign support will have a negative
impact on potential additional support, while (25.1%) believes it will have
a positive impact, (24.0%) will have neither negative nor positive impact,
and (7.8%) express no opinion.

When asked, "in time and with the restructuring of the PA's
hierarchy and services, do you believe that corruption will increase or
decrease?" (31.1%) believe corruption will increase, while (29.8%) believe
it will decrease, (28.7%) will remain the same, and (10.4%) respond "do not
know".

When asked " to what degree do you believe in the significance of
the Civil Society Organizations (CSO's) role in the Palestinian territories
in upgrading and supervising the performance of the PA"? (40.8%) believe it
is highly significant, while (30.8%) believe it is somewhat significant,
(13.5%) somewhat insignificant, (4.8%) absolutely insignificant, and (10.1%)
express no opinion.

A substantial majority (58.3%) supports holding legislative
elections while (25.5%) support holding them at a later stage, and (16.2%)
refrain from answering.

A plurality (50.9%) supports holding Presidential elections for the
PA soon, while (34.6%) support a postponement of such elections to a later
stage, and (14.5%) are noncommittal.

When asked "Please express degree of support to Yasser Arafat"?
(17.4%) strongly support, while (29.5%) somewhat support, (14.7%) somewhat
oppose, and (11.8%) respond "no opinion".

When asked "Sometimes a contradiction occurs between freedom of
media and expression on one side and what the PA believes it is a national
interest. In such a case, which of the following do you support?" a
substantial majority (61.5%) are for lawful freedom of media and expression,
while (23.5%) are in favor of what the PA believes to be a national
interest, and (15.0%) respond "no opinion".

Also a substantial majority (63.1%) of the Palestinians say they
trust the Palestinian press, while (32.1%) say do not trust the Palestinian
media, and (4.8%) express no opinion.

A plurality (47.7%) express dissatisfaction with the standing of
democracy and human rights in the Palestinian territories, whereas (14.5%)
express satisfaction, (32.0%) express neither satisfaction nor
dissatisfaction, and (5.8%) express "no opinion".

In addition (44.0%) express high concern for democracy and human
rights, while (30.6%) express somewhat concern, (7.3%) somewhat unconcern,
(9.8%) absolute unconcern, and (8.3%) express no opinion.

A plurality (53.4%) of the Palestinians say they trust Palestinian
courts, while (42.0%) say they do not trust them, and (4.6%) refrain from
answering this question.

However, (40.3%) say they have confidence in the Palestinian police,
while (55.3%) say the opposite, and (4.4%) express no opinion.

Also, (29.8%) say they trust other Palestinian security services
(i.e. preventive security, intelligence.etc), while a substantial majority
(65.0%) says the opposite, and (5.2%) express no opinion.

Also, (42.7%) say they have confidence in the Palestinian
Legislative Council (PLC), while a higher proportion (51.1%) say the
opposite, and (6.2%) express no opinion.

President of the PCPO, Dr. Nabil Kukali, stated that the poll was carried
out May 24 - 30, 2002, and the average age of the respondents was (31.64)
years. Dr. Kukali added that the margin of error was (+/-3.08) percent
points.

The Director of Public Relations at the PCPO, Dr. Walid Shomaly,
expressed thanks to "Tamkeen Project" for funding the poll. He added that
the non-response rate, percentage of male and female respondents were (1%),
(51.5%), and (48.5%) respectively. Dr. Shomaly pointed out to the fact that
the respondents' average years of schooling was (12.38) and that the
percentages of married, single, and other respondents were (55.3%), (39.4%),
and (5.3%) respectively.

Contact Persons: Dr. Nabil Kukali, Dr. Walid Shomaly
Mobile:052 801653
Tel: 02- 277 4846 Fax: 02 2772034.
E-mail: drkukali@hotmail.com