Poll No.154 Date:
10 May 2006
In a survey prepared by Dr. Nabil Kukali about the economical and political
conditions in the Palestinian territories has shown that:
* A clear majority (57.7%) evaluate the general economic condition in the
Palestinian territories as "bad".
*A clear majority (61.7%) believe that the Palestinian government is
incapable of providing job opportunities.
* Around one- third (33.9%) think of leaving their present residences and
travel abroad.
* More than one third (38.3%) are in favor of Hamas, (31.9%) are in favor of
Fatah.
* An overwhelming majority (85.3%) believe that the European and US-American
financial aid contributes to the well-
being of the Palestinian people.
* A clear majority (58.8%) are discontent with the quality of their lives
and the lives of their families.
* An overwhelming majority (92.1%) consider the permit of Syria regarding
the entry of the Palestinians to its
territories as a step in the right direction.
Introduction:
In the most recent survey prepared by Dr. Nabil Kukali, Director of the
Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO), and conducted during the
period from April 27th to 1st of May, 2006, a random sample consisting of
(680) Palestinian adults over 18 years old representing the different
demographic samples of the population living in the West Bank, including
East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip has been interviewed. The survey result has
revealed that (57.7%) of the respondents evaluated the general economic
condition in the Palestinian territories as "bad". The dominating rate
thereof, specifically (84.4%), are residents of Gaza Strip, compared with
(42.5%) who are residents of the West Bank.
Dr. Nabil Kukali said the survey results show undoubtedly that the
Palestinian territories are passing now through an extremely difficult
economic condition and are suffering from a very pressing economic crisis.
He added that the suspension of the EU und US financial aid, and that of
other foreign countries, amounting together to ca. one billion US-dollars
annually, as well as the freezing of the monies due to the Palestinians by
Israel, which are amounting to ca. US$ 60 million per month and representing
almost two thirds of the local revenues, will increase the disaster of the
economic conditions for the Palestinians and may cause an economic collapse
within a short period of time.
Dr. Kukali emphasized the significance of providing a normal life for the
Palestinian people, which, he said, is a basic issue for keeping security
and stability in the region. Starvation and economic sanctions will create
more chaos and violence in the region and will affect everybody without
exception, leading certainly to very much undesired and dangerous
conditions. This calls for the concentration of all efforts to solve this
crisis and reach a solution, which may save all parties from the further
deterioration of the situation, Dr. Kukali added.
The Objective of the Study:
The target of this survey is to probe the economic conditions of the
Palestinian people in the shadow of the international embargo imposed on the
Palestinian government led by Hamas. Furthermore, the survey aims at probing
the extent of the people's support to the Palestinian parties and factions
three-and-half months after the legislative elections. We examined also in
this survey what Palestinians would advice their Prime Minister, Mr. Ismael
Haniyyeh, to do in the prevailing crisis and cast light on the significance
of the EU and US financial aid for the well-being of the Palestinian people
The Findings:
The economic condition:
A clear majority (58%) of the respondents evaluated their personal economic
condition as "bad", whilst (36.2%) described it as "mediocre", and only
(5.8%) as "good".
Asked about their opinion of the general economic condition in the
Palestinian territories, (57.7%) of the Palestinians evaluated it as "bad",
(34.4%) described it as "mediocre", only (7.4%) gave it the rating "good"
and (0.5%) declined to respond to the question.
An economic program to face the crisis:
Responding to the question: "Do you think Mr. Ismael Haniyyeh and his
cabinet have put an economic program to face the present crisis?", (40.7%)
answered "yes", (53.6%) said "no" and (5.7%) answered "I don't know".
The Authority can't provide job opportunities:
A clear majority (61.7%) agree to the statement that the Palestinian
government is incapable of providing job opportunities for the unemployed
Palestinian laborers, while (35.3%) disagree to it and (3.0%) abstain.
Quality of life:
Regarding the question: "To which extent are you today generally content
with the quality of your life and the life of your family?", (20.5%) said
"very discontent", (38.3%) are "discontent", (25.2%) said "so so" and only
(12.6%) are "content". (3.0%) said they are "very content", and (0.4%) said
"I don't know".
A majority (49.5%) of the respondents are of the opinion that the present
Palestinian government is not qualified to improve the quality of life for
the Palestinians in the near future, whilst (47.1%) think "it's qualified"
and (3.4%) refrain from answering.
Concerns of the Citizen:
Responding to the question: "What is your main concern at present?", (32.6%)
said "the job and earning money", (30.5%) said "the security", (19.7%) "the
health" and (17.2%) "the future".
Moving abroad:
Regarding the question: "Have you ever thought in the last years, or think
now of leaving your present residence and moving abroad to another country,
where you intend to dwell permanently?", (65.3%) answered " I didn't have
that in mind ", (33.9%) said "yes, I thought of that", and (0.8 %) answered
" I don't know ".
Supporting parties and factions:
Responding to the question: " If there would be now political, municipal or
NGOs elections on the basis of the proportional representation (i.e. voting
for one list), for which list would you cast your vote ?", the answers were
as follows: (38.3%) would vote for Hamas, (31.9%) for Fatah, (11.9%) for
the left-wing and national organizations, (12.8%) did not decide yet,
(2.4%) for the Islamic Jihad and (2.7%) hesitated to answer.
Significance of the foreign aid:
Responding to the question: "Up to which extent does the European and US
financial aid contribute generally to the Palestinians' well-being?",
(39.2%) answered "to a high degree", (46.1%) said "to a moderate degree",
(10.1%) "to a slight degree", while (4.1%) said "to a nil degree" and (0.5%)
"Don't know".
What the Prime Minister should do:
Regarding the open question: "If you were in the position of counseling the
Palestinian PM, Mr. Ismael Haniyyeh, which advice you would give him ?", the
answers were as follows:
(25.0%) to put an economic program for the improvement of the living
conditions.
(13.1%) to stick to the national positions.
(10.3%) to negotiate with Israel and recognize it.
(6.5%) to combat lawlessness.
(5.7%) to form a government of national unity.
(5.5%) to resign and leave the field for others.
(5.0%) would tell him: "Be patient, Sheikh Ismael Haniyyeh ! May God be
with you !.
(4.1%) to consider in his resolutions the interests of the Palestinian
people.
(3.5%) to exterminate corruption.
(2.6%) to continue the resistance and the struggle (Jihad).
(2.6%) to be realistic and abandon rhetoric.
(2.4%) to respect the deals and agreements signed with the Palestinian
Authority.
(2.0%) to judge justly and not to discriminate between the normal people
and Hamas members.
(1.7%) to establish good relations with the Arab and Islamic countries.
(1.7%) to administer the Palestinian Authority efficiently.
(1.5%) to recognize the PLO.
(1.4%) not to recognize Israel.
(1.2%) to come to an understanding with the PA-President Mr. Mahmoud
Abbas.
(1.2%) to care for the issues of the detainees and refugees.
(1.0%) to strengthen the ties with America and the European Union.
(1.0%) to change Hamas charter.
(0.5%) to abandon the policy of resistance.
(0.4%) to go back to the opposition.
Permitting the Palestinians to enter Syria:
An overwhelming majority (92.1%) of the Palestinian people consider the
Syrian-Palestinian deal permitting Palestinians holding the Palestinian
travel document to enter the Syrian territories as a substantial step in the
right direction, whilst (3.5%) are of the opposite opinion and (4.4%)
express no opinion.
Methodology of the Survey Study:
"All interviews took place on the basis of random choices of respondents'
homes, i.e. face-to-face during different working hours, at least 5 hours a
day, including the evening time, in order to ensure proper representation of
those sub-groups of the population, which would otherwise be difficult to
reach and selecting one individual in each household using Last Birthday
Method. ", Mr. Elias Kukali, a staff member of the Research & Studies
Section at the PCPO, said. The choices were taken from a total of (146)
election sites, from which (109) sites are located in West Bank and (37)
sites in Gaza Strip according to the distribution of the Central Election
committee. These election sites were randomly chosen by using the method of
the simple random sample. These in turn were the beginning of the random
sample choice made from those regions in accordance with PCPO's long
experienced methodology. The margin of error was (±3.76%) at a significance
and confidence levels of (5%) and (95%) respectively.
Elias Kukali added "the percentage of female respondents was (48.6%) whereas
that of the male respondents reached (51.4%). He said the composition of the
sample according to the residential area was as follows: (64.2%) West Bank,
including East Jerusalem, and (35.8%) Gaza Strip. He further pointed out
that the allocation of the sample in respect of the type of residence was as
follows: (51.3%) city, (31.7%) village and (17.0%) refugee camp. The
distribution of the sample with regard to the marital status of the
respondents was as follows: (30.4%) single, (67.5%) married and (2.1%)
otherwise.
Contact Persons: Dr. Nabil Kukali & Elias Kukali
Tel: 00970 2 277 4846, Fax: 00970 2 277 4892
Mobile: 00972 547 216 643 / 00970 599 726 878
P.O. Box 15, Beit Sahour - Palestine
Email: kukali@p-ol.com
Website: www.pcpo.ps
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