JMCC Public Opinion Poll No. 27
On Palestinian Attitudes Towards Israeli Parties
July 1998
A random sample of 1,196 Palestinians, over the age of 18 years, were interviewed throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip on 16 and 17 July 1998. The interviews were conducted on randomly selected homes, and the subjects inside each home were also selected randomly according to Kish tables. The interviews were conducted in 60 sampling points chosen randomly according to population.
In the West Bank, 772 people were surveyed from the following areas: Jenin: Jenin & Jenin Refugee Camp (RC), al-Yamoun, Fahmeh, Qabatia & Zababdeh. Nablus: Nablus, 'Askar RC, Salfit, Beitiba & Deir Sharaf. Tulkarem & Qalailia: Tulkarem & Tulkarem RC, 'Ateel & Dier al-Ghousoon, Beit Leed & Safareen & Qalqilia. Bethlehem: Bethlehem, Dheisheh RC, Beit Jala & Beit Sahour, Hussan & al-Khader. Hebron: Hebron & 'Aroub RC, Shyoukh, Tarqoumia, Dura & Bani Na'im. Jerusalem: Old City, al-'Issawia & Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan & Rass al-Amoud, Hizma & 'Anata. Jericho: Jericho & 'Ain al-Sultan RC. Ramallah: Ramallah, al-Bireh, Deir Dibwan & Burqa, Birzeit & Jalazone RC, Beitunia & 'Ain Areek.
In the Gaza Strip, 424 people were surveyed from: Gaza, Rimal, Daraj, Sabra, Sheikh Radwan, Shati' RC, Nazleh, Khan Younis, Khan Younis RC, Jabalia, Jabalia RC, Deir al-Balah & Deir al-Balah RC, al-Maghazi RC, Rafah RC, Bureij RC, Beit Lahia, Nusseirat RC.
Q.1 How optimistic or pessimistic are you towards the future in general? Can you say you are very optimistic, optimistic pessimistic or very pessimistic?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| Very optimistic |
6.2% |
4.3% |
9.7% |
| Optimistic |
60.5% |
60.9% |
59.9% |
| Pessimistic |
22.2% |
24.0% |
18.9% |
| Very pessimistic |
10.0% |
9.8% |
10.4% |
| No answer |
1.1% |
1.0% |
1.1% |
Q.2 In general, do you support or oppose the current peace process betweent the Palestinians and Israel? Do you strongly support or somewhat support or strongly oppose or somewhat oppose?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip | |
| Strongly support |
19.0% |
15.5% |
25.2% |
| Somewhat support |
47.0% |
48.6% |
44.1% |
| Strongly oppose |
13.3% |
14.1% |
11.8% |
| Somewhat oppose |
15.4% |
14.5% |
17.0% |
| No answer |
5.3% |
7.3% |
1.9% |
Q.3 What is your opinion about the Oslo agreement? Can you say strongly support, support, oppose, or strongly oppose?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| Strongly support |
11.0% |
10.8% |
11.6% |
| Support |
47.9% |
48.1% |
47.6% |
| Oppose |
21.8% |
22.3% |
21.2% |
| Strongly oppose |
10.2% |
10.8% |
9.2% |
| No answer |
9.0% |
8.0% |
10.4% |
Q. 4 In the coming Israeli elections, who do you expect to win, the Labor Party or the Likud Party?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| The Labor Party |
47.9% |
48.7% |
46.5% |
| The Likud Party |
27.5% |
25.1% |
31.8% |
| Others |
2.2% |
2.5% |
1.7% |
| I do not know |
20.6% |
21.4% |
19.1% |
| No answer |
1.8% |
2.3% |
0.9% |
Q.5 Who is the current head of the Labor Party?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| Ehud Barak |
55.2% |
53.5% |
58.3% |
| Peres |
3.8% |
3.5% |
4.2% |
| Netanyahu |
1.3% |
1.8% |
0.5% |
| I do not know |
36.9% |
38.0% |
34.9% |
| No answer |
2.8% |
3.2% |
2.1% |
Q.6 In your opinion, what would be better for the peace process; the sucess of the Labor Party or that of the Likud Party in the coming Israeli elections?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| Sucess of the Labour Party is better for the peace process |
62.2% |
61.8% |
63.0% |
| Sucess of the Likud Party is better for the peace process |
6.1% |
5.8% |
6.6% |
| I do not know |
17.2% |
18.5% |
14.9% |
| No one |
1.3% |
0.4% |
2.8% |
| No difference |
7.4% |
7.0% |
8.3% |
| Others |
1.4% |
1.0% |
2.1% |
| No answer |
4.4% |
5.5% |
2.3% |
Q. 7 Some people believe that Ehud Barak coming to power in Israel will lead to progress in the peace process while other believe that his assuming power will result in a setback in the peace process and others believe that Barak's assuming power will not make any change, what do you think?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| Ehud Barak assuming power in Israel will lead to progress in the peace process |
43.1% |
41.8% |
45.3% |
| Ehud Barak assuming power in Israel will result in a setback in the peace process |
5.4% |
6.0% |
4.5% |
| Ehud Barak assuming power in Israel will not make any changes |
31.8% |
29.1% |
36.6% |
| I do not know |
17.1% |
19.8% |
12.3% |
| No answer |
2.6% |
3.3% |
1.3% |
Q. 8 In your opinion, did the presence of the Likdu Party headed by Netanyahu in power in Israel make any progress in the peace process or delay it or did not affect it?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| The presence of the Likud Party headed by Netanyahu in power in Israel made progress in the peace process |
2.1% |
1.2% |
3.8% |
| The presence of the Likud Party headed by Netanyahu in power in Israel delayed the peace process |
70.6% |
68.7% |
74.1% |
| The presence of the Likud Party headed by Netanyahu in power in Israel did not have any effect on the peace process |
19.6% |
21.1% |
16.7% |
| I do not know |
6.2% |
7.1% |
4.5% |
| No answer |
1.5% |
1.9% |
0.9% |
Q. 9 If the Israeli Labor Party wins the coming Israeli elections and Ehud Barka becomes the Israeli prime minister, will you be more optimistic towards the peace process or more pessimistic towards the peace process or do you think it will not affect your opinion?
|
Total |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
|
| More optimistic towards the peace process |
44.3% |
41.2% |
50.0% |
| More pessimistic towards the peace process |
5.6% |
6.5% |
4.0% |
| Will not affect my opinion |
37.5% |
38.2% |
36.3% |
| I do not know |
10.5% |
11.4% |
8.7% |
| No answer |
2.1% |
2.7% |
1.0% |