PSR Dec. 4-9 2003 Poll No. 10 - Palestinian Polls Results
Survey Research Unit
Results of Poll # 10

WHILE A MAJORITY OPPOSES E GENEVA DOCUMENT, PALESTINIAN ATTITUDES VARY
REGARDING ITS CORE COMPONENTS: A LARGE MAJORITY OPPOSES THE REFUGEE SOLUTION
AND THE RESTRICTIONS ON PALESTINIAN SOVEREIGNTY, BUT A MAJORITY ENDORSES
EQUAL TERRITORIAL SWAPS AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF A MULTINATIONAL FORCE

These are the results of opinion poll # 10, conducted by the Palestinian
Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) between 04-09 December 2003. The
poll deals with Geneva Document, the peace process, Abu Ala's government,
the popularity of Arafat and the political factions. The total sample size
of this poll is 1319 from Palestinians 18 years and older, interviewed
face-to-face in West Bank (83 and in Gaza Strip (48, in 120 locations. The
margin of error is 3%.
For further details, contact PSR director, Dr. Khalil Shikaki or Ayoub
Mustafa at Tel 02-2964933 or email pcpsr@pcpsr.org.

www.pcpsr.org/survey/polls/2003/p10b.html
04-09 December 2003
[results in %]

Recently a document named the Geneva document came up on the public agenda.
The document proposes a peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians and
was negotiated informally between current and former Palestinian and Israeli
officials.

Do you have knowledge of the contents of the document?
I have full and detailed knowledge 4.2
I have a general knowledge of some of its articles 16.7
I have heard a little about it 52.1 I have not heard of it 26.3
Do not know/ no opinion 0.7

What is your MAIN source of knowledge about the Geneva Document?
Media, such tv, radio, and newspapers 78.7
The document itself which was distributed by al Ayyam and al Quds
newspapers 6.9
Friends, relatives, and acquaintances 10.8
Political and cultural meetings, conferences, and seminars 1.6
Others 2.1
Do not know/ no opinion 0

From what you have heard or read about the Geneva Document so far, do you
find yourself in agreement or disagreement with it?
Strongly agreeing 2.6 Agreeing 22.8
Disagreeing 39.3 Strongly disagreeing 21.3
Do not know/ no opinion 14.0

The Geneva Document contains seven items {read each item and ask respondents
for their views on that item}:

Item 1: withdrawal: An Israeli withdrawal from all of the Gaza Strip and the
evacuation of its settlements. But in the West Bank, Israel withdraws and
evacuates settlements from most of it, with the exception of few settlement
areas in less than 3% of the West Bank that would be exchanged with an equal
amount of territory from Israel in accordance with the attached map {show
map}
Strongly agreeing 9.1 Agreeing 48.0
Disagreeing 25.2 Strongly disagreeing 15.7
Do not know/ No Opinion 2.0

Item 2: state: An independent Palestinian state would be established in the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip; the Palestinian state will have no army, but
it will have a strong security force. Both sides will be committed to end
all forms of violence directed against each other.
Strongly agreeing 4.8 Agreeing 31.1
Disagreeing 37.8 Strongly disagreeing 24.9
Do not know/ No Opinion 1.4

Item 3: East Jerusalem: East Jerusalem would become the capital of the
Palestinian state with Arab neighborhoods coming under Palestinian
sovereignty and Jewish neighborhoods coming under Israel sovereignty. The
Old City (including al Haram al Sharif) would come under Palestinian
sovereignty with the exception of the Jewish Quarter and the Wailing Wall
that will come under Israeli sovereignty.
Strongly agreeing 5.2 Agreeing 40.8
Disagreeing 31.3 Strongly disagreeing 21.1
Do not know/ No Opinion1.6

Item 4: refugees: With regard to the refugee question, both sides agree
that the solution will be based on UN resolutions 194 and 242 and on the
Arab peace initiative. The refugees will be given five choices for permanent
residency. These are: the Palestinian state and the Israeli areas
transferred to the Palestinian state in the territorial exchange mentioned
above; no restrictions would be imposed on refugee return to these two
areas. Residency in the other three areas (in host countries, third
countries, and Israel) would be subject to the decision of the states in
those areas. The number of refugees returning to Israel will be based on the
average number of refugees admitted to third countries like Australia,
Canada, Europe, and others. All refugees will be entitled to compensation
for their "refugeehood" and loss of properties.
Strongly agreeing 2.0 Agreeing 23.1
Disagreeing 33.9 Strongly disagreeing 38.4
Do not know/ No Opinion 2.6

Item 5: end of conflict: When the permanent status agreement is fully
implemented, it will mean the end of the conflict and no further claims will
be made by either side. The parties will recognize Palestine and Israel as
the homelands of their respective peoples
Strongly agreeing 3.1 Agreeing 39.1
Disagreeing 33.6 Strongly disagreeing 21.3
Do not know/ No Opinion 2.9

Item 6: multinational force: A multinational force will be established to
monitor the implementation of the agreement, to ensure the security of the
Palestinian state, to give both sides security guarantees, and to monitor
territorial borders and coast of the Palestinian state including its
international crossings.
Strongly agreeing 7.4 Agreeing 50.3
Disagreeing 24.1 Strongly disagreeing 15.7
Do not know/ No Opinion 2.5

Item 7: sovereignty: The Palestinian state will have sovereignty over its
land, water, and airspace. But Israeli will be allowed to use the
Palestinian airspace for training purposes, and will maintain two early
warning stations in the West Bank for 15 years. The multinational force will
remain in the Palestinian state and in its border crossings for an
indefinite period of time.
Strongly agreeing 1.6 Agreeing 20.9
Disagreeing 42.4 Strongly disagreeing 33.2
Do not know/ No Opinion 1.9

Now that you have been informed of the main items in the Geneva Document,
tell us if you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with
the whole document?
Strongly agree 2.7 Agree 36.1
Disagree 33.5 Strongly disagree 24.8
Do not know/ no opinion 2.8

What is your view of the new government formed by Abu Ala'a. Do you, or do
not you, for example, give it your vote of confidence?
Certainly yes 3.5 Yes 33.9 No 30.9 Certainly no 11.1
No opinion/ Don't know 20.6

Do you believe that Abu Ala'a and his new government will, or will not, be
able to do the following?

Carry out the political reforms you seek
Certainly yes 3.9 Yes 34.6 No 35.6 Certainly no14.9
DK/NA 11.0

Fight corruption
Certainly yes 3.3 Yes 33.4 No 38.4 Certainly no14.3
DK/NA10.7

Improve economic conditions
Certainly yes 3.0 Yes 42.2 No 32.9 Certainly no11.4
DK/NA10.5

Renew negotiations with Israel
Certainly yes 11.4 Yes55.7 No18.3 Certainly no 6.5
DK/NA8.1

Control the security conditions and enforce a ceasefire on all factions
Certainly yes 4.7 Yes 29.6 No 39.2 Certainly no 17.8
DK/NA 8.7

There are internal and external calls for wide and fundamental domestic
reforms and changes in the institutions and authorities of the Palestinian
Authority. Do you support or oppose these calls?
Strongly support 32.5 Support 56.0
Oppose 7.8 Strongly oppose 1.7
No opinion/ do not know 2.0

What do you expect to happen now after the formation of a new Palestinian
government headed by Abu Ala'a and the talk about a new Hudan?
Negotiations will resume soon enough and armed confrontations will stop 16.0
Negotiations will resume but some armed attacks will continue 52.0
Armed confrontations will not stop and the two sides will not return to
negotiations 24.4
D.K./NA 7.5

With regard to the Roadmap, do you think it had collapsed or do you think
there is still room to implement it?
The Roadmap has collapsed 57.7
It has not collapsed, room exists for its implementation 33.4
No opinion/ Do not know 9.0

Concerning armed attacks against Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip, I..
Strongly support 55.5 Support 31.4
Oppose 9.2 Strongly oppose 1.1
No opinion/ do not know 2.7

Concerning armed attacks against Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip, I..
Strongly support 52.0 Support 34.2
Oppose 9.9 Strongly oppose1.1
No opinion/ do not know 2.7

Concerning armed attacks against Israeli civilians inside Israel, I..
Strongly support 25.1 Support 22.4
Oppose 41.8 Strongly oppose 7.7
No opinion/ do not know 2.9

With regard to call for a cessation of violence by both sides, I
Support it 82.8 Oppose it 14.9
No Opinion/ Don't know 2.3

If an agreement is reached to cease violence by both sides, but armed
attacks against Israelis continued, do you approve or oppose, in this case,
the Palestinian Authority taking measures to prevent them?
Approve 53.3 Oppose 42.3
Don't Know / No Opinion 4.4

After reaching an agreement to cease violence by both sides, but the
Palestinian Authority did not take measures to prevent these armed attacks
against Israelis, do you think that the continuation of such attacks may
impede the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis?
Yes 72.5 No 24.2 Don't Know / No Opinion 3.3

After reaching an agreement to cease violence by both sides and the
Palestinian Authority takes security measures to prevent such armed attacks
against Israelis, are you concerned that these measures may lead to internal
Palestinian conflict?
Yes, very worried 48.4 Somewhat worried 31.6
No, not worried 18.1 Don't Know / No Opinion 1.9

Do you believe that armed confrontations so far have helped achieve
Palestinian rights in a way that negotiations could not?
Definitely yes 28.6 Yes 35.2
No 26.0 Definitely no 7.1
Don't Know / No Opinion 3.1

After reaching a peace agreement between the Palestinian people and Israel
and the establishment of a Palestinian state that is recognized by Israel,
would you support or oppose the process of reconciliation between the state
of Palestine and the state of Israel?
Strongly support 17.9 Support 58.8
Oppose 15.1 Strongly oppose 6.8
D.K./NO. 1.4

After reaching a peace agreement between the Palestinian side and Israel and
the establishment of a Palestinian state that is recognized by Israel, the
following are steps may be taken in order to enhance relations between the
State of Israel and a Palestinian State. For each of the suggested steps
please tell me whether you support or oppose it:

Open borders to free movement of people and goods
Strongly support 27.6 Support 59.2
Oppose 9.0 Strongly oppose 3.1
DN/NA 1.1

Create joint economic institutions and ventures
Strongly support 16.3 Support 52.5
Oppose 23.4 Strongly oppose 5.7
DN/NA 2.0

Create joint political institutions (such as a parliament. designed
eventually to lead to a confederate system
Strongly support 3.4 Support 25.9
Oppose 44.8 Strongly oppose 21.0
DN/NA 4.8

Take legal measures against incitement against Israel
Strongly support 4.5 Support 37.4
Oppose 37.7 Strongly oppose 16.3
DN/NA 4.1

Adopt school curriculum in the Palestinian state that recognizes Israel and
teaches school children not to demand return of all Palestine to the
Palestinians
Strongly support 1.7 Support 8.2
Oppose 42.5 Strongly oppose 45.1
DN/NA 2.5

Do you think that there is corruption in PA institutions?
Yes 81.1 No 9.6 Don't Know /No Opinion 9.3

Will this corruption in PA institutions increase, decrease or remain as it
is in the future?
Will increase 54.3 Will remain as it is 13.0
will decrease 20.9 No opinion /Don't know11.9

If separate elections for the president of the Palestinian Authority were
held today, whom would you choose?
Haidar Abdul Shafi 6.7 Yasser Arafat 38.2
Ahmad Yasin15.9 Others (specify ---- )1.2
None of the above 22.9 I will not participate14.3
No Opinion / Don't Know 0.9

If separate elections for a Vice President of the Palestinian Authority
were held today, whom would you choose?
Saeb Erikat 6.5 Hanan Ashrawi 4.7 Haidar Abdul Shafi 4.4
Ahmad Yassin 6.0 Farouq Kaddomi 4.6 Marwan Bargouthi 15.7
Ahmad Quarai' 3.3 Mahmoud Abbas 1.2
Abdul Aziz Al-Rantissi13.8 Mohammad Dahlan 1.1
No one, will decide later 23.2 I will not participate13.9
Others (Less than 2%) 0.3 No Opinion / Don't Know 1.2

Which of the following political parties do you support?
PPP 0.6 PFLP 2.8 Fateh 25.3
Hamas 20.1 DFLP 0.7 Islamic Jihad 4.5
Fida 0.1 Independent Islamists 5.7 Independent Nationalists 5.2
None of the above 34.0 Others1.1