Arab World for Research & Development
6 February 2016
Public Opinion Poll in the West Bank/ and Gaza Strip
The following are highlights from AWRAD’s January 2016 poll in the West
Bank/ and Gaza Strip/. Fieldwork was conducted from 27 to 28 January 2016,
and a total of 1,200 Palestinians were interviewed.
Ramallah – Gaza, Palestine www.awrad.org
02-2950957
http://www.awrad.org/files/server/English%20POll%20%206%20Feb%202016%20part%20one(1).pdf

Overall Direction
1. In general, would you say that things in Palestine are heading in the
right direction or
the wrong direction?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Right direction 37.6%/18.0%/30.3%
Wrong direction 55.3%/79.1%/64.3%
Don’t know 7.1%/2.9%/5.5%

2. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Optimistic 55.5%/39.6%/49.5%
Pessimistic 42.3%/59.3%/48.7%
Don’t know 2.3%/1.1%/1.8%

3. Is your family’s economic situation better or worse than it was a year
ago?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Better 8.5%/3.1%/6.5%
Same 35.9%/36.2%/36.0%
Worse 55.6%/60.4%/57.4%
Don’t know 0.0%/0.2%/0.1%

4. Do you feel that internal security in your region has improved or
diminished during the past year?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Improved 4.4%/10.7%/6.8%
Diminished 66.1%/37.1%/55.3%
Same 28.9%/51.3%/37.3%
Don’t know 0.5%/0.9%/0.7%

The Current Protest
5. Has the current round of protests affected major purchases or financial
decisions (land, apartment, appliances, travel, education etc)?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Yes 50.6%/30.0%/42.9%
To some extent 28.6%/30.7%/29.4%
No 20.8%/39.3%/27.8%

6. Compared to one year ago, do you believe that the current environment
is more or less conducive to business investment?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
More conducive 5.5%/2.0%/4.2%
Less conducive 67.2%/60.9%/64.8%
Same as a year ago 24.8%/35.6%/28.9%
Don’t know 2.5%/1.6%/2.2%

7. What has been the most significant impact on you or your family since
the recent round of troubles began in October?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Obstacles to travel/movement 26.5%/10.4%/20.5%
Loss of job 20.7%/14.4%/18.3%
Loss of income 35.7%/36.0%/35.8%
No impact 11.7%/38.0%/21.6%
Other 5.3%/1.1%/3.8%

8. At this moment, do you support or oppose a Third Intifada?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Support 38.8%/47.3%/42.0%
Oppose 56.9%/48.2%/53.7%
Don’t know 4.3%/4.4%/4.3%

9. Do you believe that a new Intifada would advance or impede the
Palestinian quest towards statehood?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Advance 36.4%/44.4%/39.4%
Impede 51.1%/48.7%/50.2%
Don't know 12.5%/6.9%/10.4%

10. In light of current events (demonstrations, lack of progress towards
state), would you support dissolving the PA and returning full authority in
the West Bank/ to Israel?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Support 14.0%/14.4%/14.2%
Oppose 77.6%/80.2%/78.6%
Don’t know 8.4%/5.3%/7.3%

President Abbas’s Latest Speech

11. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements
delivered by President
Mahmoud Abbas in his January 6th speech?

West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
“Some think that the PA will collapse; I say that it will not.”
Strongly agree 19.5%/28.7%/22.9%
Somewhat agree 30.3%/29.8%/30.1%
Somewhat disagree 21.5%/16.0%/19.4%
Strongly disagree 22.3%/22.0%/22.2%
Don’t know 6.4%/3.6%/5.3%

“No other political party has any other scenarios (other than the
PA).”
Strongly agree 13.1%/25.6%/17.8%
Somewhat agree 34.4%/29.6%/32.6%
Somewhat disagree 20.7%/16.4%/19.1%
Strongly disagree 27.1%/26.7%/26.9%
Don’t know 4.7%/1.8%/3.6%

“The solution we demand is two states, Palestinian and Israeli,
living side by side, based on 1967 boarders and East Jerusalem is the
capital of Palestine.”
Strongly agree 12.3%/20.4%/15.4%
Somewhat agree 28.7%/27.1%/28.1%
Somewhat disagree 15.4%/14.9%/15.2%
Strongly disagree 38.9%/37.1%/38.2%
Don’t know 4.7%/0.4%/3.1%

“We have no other choice but peace and negotiation to reach a two-state
solution.”
Strongly agree 9.7%/19.3%/13.3%
Somewhat agree 27.4%/26.2%/26.9%
Somewhat disagree 19.4%/18.0%/18.8%
Strongly disagree 35.8%/35.1%/35.5%
Don’t know 7.7%/1.3%/5.3%

“Hamas doesn’t want a national unity government, nor an election.”
Strongly agree 10.7%/35.3%/19.9%
Somewhat agree 15.9%/21.1%/17.8%
Somewhat disagree 23.9%/17.1%/21.4%
Strongly disagree 32.6%/23.1%/29.0%
Don’t know 17.0%/3.3%/11.8%

12. Did you hear/read the speech of President Mahmoud Abbas?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Yes 34.3%/27.3%/31.7%
No 65.7%/72.7%/68.3%

13. If yes to the previous question, in general, did the speech address any
concerns or areas of interest you might have?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Yes 27.8%/19.5%/25.1%
To some extent 29.0%/31.7%/29.8%
No 42.9%/46.3%/44.0%
Don't know 0.4%/2.4%/1.0%

14. If yes, did the speech increase or decrease your confidence in President
Abbas’s
leadership?

West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Increased 27.3%/21.1%/25.2%
Decreased 30.6%/21.1%/27.4%
No change 41.3%/50.4%/44.4%
Don't know 0.8%/7.3%/3.0%

Evaluation of Leaders
15. What is your overall evaluation of the performance of the following
leaders?

West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
President Mahmoud Abbas
Good 30.7%/32.7%/31.4%
Average 30.3%/24.4%/28.1%
Weak 34.3%/42.7%/37.4%
Don't know 4.8%/0.2%/3.1%

Rami Hamdallah
Good 25.3%/27.1%/26.0%
Average 32.4%/24.7%/29.5%
Weak 28.5%/42.9%/33.9%
Don't know 13.7%/5.3%/10.6%

Ismail Haniyeh
Good 31.2%/24.4%/28.7%
Average 29.6%/19.8%/25.9%
Weak 27.6%/55.3%/38.0%
Don't know 11.5%/.4%/7.3%

16. There have been reports in the media about Palestinian leadership if
President Abbas were to resign or leave office. Is this an issue that you
are concerned about?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Yes 35.9%/31.6%/34.3%
No 57.0%/60.7%/58.4%
Don't know 7.1%/7.8%/7.3%

17. If Mahmoud Abbas resigned as President of the PA, how would you like to
see future leadership of the PA resolved?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
General election 62.5%/72.7%/66.3%
Decision by the PLO 8.0%/7.8%/7.9%
Vote of the PNC 4.9%/5.6%/5.2%
Choice by Fatah 15.1%/10.4%/13.3%
Other 9.5%/3.6%/7.3%

18. There are discussions about the possibility of creating a Vice President
position, do you support or oppose this?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Support 54.8%/57.3%/55.8%
Oppose 30.4%/28.7%/29.8%
Don’t know/I'm not sure 14.8%/14.0%/14.5%

Election
19. Do you support the immediate conduct of legislative election in the West
Bank/ and Gaza?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Yes 71.7%/92.2%/79.4%
No 19.3%/7.1%/14.8%
Don't know 8.9%/0.7%/5.8%

20. Do you support the immediate conduct of Presidential election in the
West Bank/ and Gaza?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Yes 72.8%/91.8%/79.9%
No 18.2%/7.3%/14.1%
Don't know 9.1%/0.9%/6.0%

21. Who would you vote for in the following potential presidential contest:
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
President Mahmoud Abbas 33.7%/40.4%/36.3%
Ismail Haniyeh 23.6%/20.2%/22.3%
Don’t know 12.1%/8.0%/10.6%
I will not vote 30.5%/31.3%/30.8%

22. Who would you vote for in the following potential presidential contest:
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Marwan Barghouthi 49.5%/57.3%/52.4%
Ismail Haniyeh 19.3%/18.2%/18.9%
Don't know 9.3%/9.6%/9.4%
I will not vote 21.9%/14.9%/19.3%

23. If elections took place today and the following lists ran, which one
would you you vote for?
West Bank/Gaza Strip/Total
Fatah 34.3%/45.8%/38.6%
Hamas 17.3%/18.0%/17.6%
DFLP 0.9%/1.3%/1.1%
Al Mubadara 1.5%/1.6%/1.5%
Islamic Jihad 3.9%/1.6%/3.0%
PFLP 3.7%/2.0%/3.1%
Hizb al Tahrir 1.3%/0.2%/0.9%
PPP 0.1%/0.0%/0.1%
Fida 0.3%/0.0%/0.2%
Palestinian Struggle Front 0.4%/0.0%/0.3%
Other 1.2%/2.7%/1.8%
Undecided 17.2%/14.2%/16.1%
I will not vote 17.9%/12.7%/15.9%