Untitled Document

Latest Poll:

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.