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Friday, April 25, 2003
JMCC POLL: Palestinians continue to support attacks on Israeli civilians - violence seen as positive

JMCC POLL: Palestinians continue to support attacks on Israeli civilians -
violence seen as positive

[IMRA: Contrary to the "common wisdom" expressed by various politicians and
roadmap supporters, the most recent poll of Palestinians by the JMCC
demonstrates that only a small minority of Palestinians (15.2%) believe that
a violence free approach best serves the Palestinians. The overwhelming
majority (65.3%) support continuing the Intifada, 60.5% support military
operations inside the Green Line and 59.9% support suicide bombing
operations against Israeli civilians.

Why are so many politicians, journalists and analysts so out of touch with
the true feelings of the Palestinian street? A mixture of wishful thinking
and selective exposure. Some try to mold reality to meet their needs while
others mistakenly assume that their multilingual Palestinian contacts are in
fact telling them what the Palestinian street thinks instead of what these
Palestinians believe serves Palestinian interests for the politicians,
journalists and analysts to think the Palestinian street thinks.

It should be noted that there is every indication that the respondents are
expressing their true views. A poll in Syria would no doubt find 99.9%
trusting Assad most while this poll finds only 21.1% trusting Yasser
Arafat the most and 36.1% not trusting anyone. ]

JMCC Public Opinion Poll No. 48 On Palestinian Attitudes Towards the
Palestinian Situation in General
http://www.jmcc.org/publicpoll/results/2003/no48.htm
April 2003
JMCC - Jerusalem Media & Communication Centre
Jerusalem office:
Nablus Road #7 Sheikh Jarrah
POBox 25047
Tel: 02-5819777 Fax: 02-5829534 jmcc@jmcc.org

JMCC Public Opinion Polls are supported by a fund from Fredrich Ebert
Stiftung Foundation, Germany

Methodology
A random sample of 1201 people over the age of 18 were interviewed
face-to-face throughout the West Bank (761) and Gaza Strip (440) between 5
and 9 April 2003. The margin of error is 3 percent, with a confidence level
of 95.

Results (In percentages)

Q1. In general how optimistic or pessimistic do you feel towards the future?
Very optimistic 2.3 Optimistic 41.1
Pessimistic 35.1 Very Pessimistic 21.2
No answer 0.3

Q2. How optimistic or pessimistic are you towards reaching a peaceful
settlement for the Arab-Israeli conflict?
Very optimistic 1.2 Optimistic 27.2
Pessimistic 40.5 Very Pessimistic 29.4
No answer 1.7

Q.3 In principle, do you strongly support , Somewhat Support, somewhat
oppose, or strongly oppose peace negotiations between Palestinians and
Israelis?
Strongly support 9.7 Somewhat support 41.6
Somewhat oppose 21.6 Strongly oppose 24.1
No answer 3.0

Q.4 Under the current conditions, some believe that the peace process is
dead and there is no chance of resuming the negotiations, while others see
that the peace process is passing through difficult conditions with an
unclear future and there is another group who believes that the peace
process is still alive and there is a possibility of resuming negotiations?
The peace process is dead and there is no chance of resuming the
negotiations 37.6
The peace process is passing through difficult conditions with an unclear
future 45.0
The peace process is still alive and there is a possibility of resuming
negotiations 13.1
Others 1.0
Don't know 2.7 No answer 0.6

Q5. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly
oppose the continuation of the al-Aqsa Intifada in the West Bankand Gaza
Strip?
Strongly support 40.5 Somewhat support 34.8
Somewhat oppose 13.5 Strongly oppose 8.7
No answer 2.5

Q6. There is a discussion within the Palestinian society on the benefit of
continuing the Intifada, what is your opinion? Should the Intifada continue
in its current form, should it continue but in other forms or should it the
Intifada stop?
The Intifada should continue in its current form. 56.4
The Intifada should continue in other Forms 4.2
The Intifada should stop 21.4
By reactivating the popular characteristic of the Intifada* 5.2
By reactivating armed resistance* 5.2
By reinforcing national unity and organize the Intifada* 1.6
External help* 0.6
No answer 5.4
*These answers were not included as part of the options read to the
interviewees

Q.7 Some believe that the Intifada is the best path to achieve our national
goals and end the occupation, others believe that the negotiations are the
best way to do so. There are some who believe that the continuation of the
Intifada and the negotiations together is the method to achieve Palestinian
national goals, so in your perspective what is the best way to achieve our
national goals?
Only the Intifada 29.8
Only negotiations 15.2
Intifada and negotiations together 48.6
I don't know 5.3 No answer 1.1

Q8. The current Intifada includes popular characteristics such as the
demonstrations and military characteristics . in your opinion, do you
support the continuation of a popular or military Intifada or both of them
together?
I am with the continuation of a popular resistance Intifada 23.7
I am with the military resistance Intifada 11.2
I am with both of them 53.0
I don't know 8.5
No answer 3.6

Q.9 Do you support the resumption of the military operations against Israeli
targets as a suitable response within the current political conditions, or
do you reject it and find it harmful to Palestinian national interests?
A suitable response within the current political conditions 64.6
I reject it and find it harmful to Palestinian national interests 25.1
I don't know 8.1 No answer 2.2

Q.10 Are you with the resumption of the military operations only inside
Israel, only inside the occupied territories or inside Israel and the
occupied territories?
Inside Israel only 17.5
Inside the occupied territories only 12.6
Inside Israel and the occupied territories 43.0
I am not with the resumption of the military operations 22.4
No answer 4.5

Q.11 What is your feeling towards suicide bombing operations against Israeli
civilians, do you support it or oppose it?
Strongly support 37.8 Somewhat support 22.1
Strongly oppose 11.7 Somewhat oppose 18.6
I Don't Know 6.7 No answer 3.1

Q.12 Some believe that a two-state formula is the favored solution for the
Arab-Israeli conflict, while others believe that historic Palestine cannot
be divided and thus the favored solution is a bi-national state on all of
Palestine wherein Palestinians and Israelis enjoy equal representation and
rights. Which of these solution do you prefer?
Two-state solution: an Israeli and a Palestinian 51.9
Bi-national state on all of historic Palestine 25.1
One PalestinianState with one nationality* 16.2
Islamic State* 3.1
Do not know 2.4 No answer 1.3
*These answers were not included as part of the options read to the
interviewees

Q13.The position of PA prime minister has been recently created; do you
believe that this step serves the Palestinian people and cause? Or hurts the
Palestinian people and cause? Or that it does not serve nor hurt the
Palestinian people and cause?
It serves the Palestinian people and cause. 29.6
It hurts the Palestinian people and cause 22.0
It does not serve nor hurt the Palestinian people and cause 38.6
Don't Know 8.7 No answer 1.1

Q14. Do you believe that the appointment of Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) as
prime minister in Palestine helps pushing the peace process with Israel
forward? Backward? Or will not influence the peace process?
Will assist in pushing the peace process between Israel and Palestine
forward. 30.4
Will assist in pushing the peace process between Israel and Palestine
backward 16.5
Will not influence the peace process 44.5
Don't Know 7.4 No answer 1.2

Q15. Do you believe that appointing Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) as prime
minister would assist pushing the current PA reform process forward?
Backward? Or this appointment would not have an influence on the current
reform process?
Will assist in pushing the PA reform process forward. 28.7
Will assist in pushing the PA reform process backward. 17.4
Will not have an influence on the current reform process. 43.2
I Don't Know 9.2 No answer 1.5

Q16. Do you believe that the decision to create a prime minister's position
came from external pressures and influences or as a result of a Palestinian
conviction that this is in the interest of the Palestinian people? Or both?
It came due to external pressures and influences. 67.8
It came as a result of a Palestinian conviction that it is in the interest
of the Palestinian people. 6.2
Both, due to external pressures and as a result of Palestinian 1conviction
that it is in the interest of the Palestinian people. 19.2
I don't know 5.7 No answer 1.1

Q17. In your opinion, what is the influence of the current war in Iraq on
the Palestinian cause? Is it negative? Positive? Or does not have an
influence?
Has a negative influence 56.1 Has a positive influence 16.6
Does not have an influence 15.2 I Don't know 10.1 No answer. 2.0

Q18. Which television station do you recently watch the most?
Al-Jazeera 51.7 Abu Dhabi 14.2 Al-Manar 7.8 Al-Arabia 5.3
Palestine 3.7 MBC 1.7 Iraq 1.6 Al-Amal 1.2
Jordan 1.0 Others 10.3 Don't watch 1.1 No answer 0.4
* The question was open-ended

Q19. Which radio station do you recently listen to the most?
Palestine 13.5 Sawt al-Hureya 12.1 Israel 6.1 Ajyal 3.8
London 3.4 Monte Carlo 3.2 Amwaj 2.9 Hebron 2.9 Al-Quds 2.6
Sawt al-Ahlam 2.4 Quran al Kareem 2.1 Tareeq al-Mahabeh 1.6
Jordan 1.2 Bethlehem 2000 1.2 Sawt al-Arab 1.0
Others 7.4 Don't Listen 31.6 No answer 1.0
* The question was open-ended

Q20. Which newspaper do you recently read the most?
Al-Quds 37.1 Al-Ayyam 14.0 Al-Haya al-Jadeeda 11.2
Others 1.2 Don't read 36.2 No answer 0.3
* The question was open-ended

Q21. Which Palestinian personality do you trust the most ?
Yasser Arafat 21.1 Ahmed Yassin 9.7 Marwan Barghouthi 3.7
Abdul Aziz Rantisi 3.4 Sa'eb Erekat 2.3 Haider Abdul Shafi 2.3
Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) 1.8 Ramadan Shalah 1.1 Ahmad Sa'adat 1.1
'Abdallah al-Shami 1.1 Hanan Ashrawi 1.0 Other figures 7.6
I Don't trust anyone 36.1 No answer 7.7
* The question was open-ended

Q22. Which Palestinian political or religious faction do you trust most?
Fateh 22.6 Hamas 22.0 Islamic Jihad 6.3
PFLP 2.0 Other Islamic faction 1.2 Other Factions 1.9
Don't trust anyone 34.3 No answer 9.7
* The question was open-ended

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