Latest Poll: |
The most recent poll prepared by Dr. Nabil Kukali on the present general conditions in the Palestinian territories has revealed that: * A great majority, (65.1%) of the Palestinians are, at various degrees, in favor of resuming the peace negotiations with Israel. * The striking majority of (96.3%) are in favor of solving the problem of the Israeli captive in return for some advantages. * Almost half of the Palestinians, namely (47.2%), are in favor of releasing Palestinian female prisoners and children in return for solving the problem of the Israeli captive. * An overwhelming majority of (76.8%) of the Palestinians are concerned about the subsistence of their families, and * Very close to this rate, specifically (74.9%), are against the resignation of the PA-president, Abu Mazin, whilst a clear majority of (58.5%) is also not in favor of the resignation of the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr. Ismael Haniyyeh, and his cabinet. Beit Sahour – from the Information Section In the most recent public opinion poll prepared by Dr. Nabil Kukali, the Director of the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO) and conducted during the period July 4th to 7th, 2006, a random sample of (1050) adult Palestinians over 18 years old, representing the various demographic specimens of the Palestinian society in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, has been interviewed. The most substantial finding the poll outcome has revealed is that the striking majority of the Palestinian people, specifically (96.3%), split into (96.0%) in Gaza Strip and (96.5%) in the West Bank, are in favor of solving the issue of the Israeli captive in return for some advantages. Dr. Nabil Kukali, Director of the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, declared that the poll results are clearly indicating that the Palestinian people are declined to take advantage out of the issue of the Israeli captive by trading him for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails after the failure of all previous efforts and the peace deals to release them. Dr. Kukali has established that a great majority of the Palestinians are in favor of resuming the peace negotiations between the PA-president and the government of Israel. This rate reached the limit of (65.1%), where (74.3%) thereof are in Gaza Strip and (59.8%) are in the West Bank. Dr. Kukali added that the overwhelming majority of the Palestinians, namely (74.9%), are against the resignation of Abu Mazin (77.8%) thereof are living in Gaza Strip and (73.2%) in the West Bank). He further pointed out that a clear majority is also not in favor of the resignation of the Palestinian PM and his cabinet. This rate came up to (58.5%), where (62.7%) thereof are living in the West Bank and (51.3%) in Gaza Strip. The Israeli captive (96.3%) of the Palestinians are in favor of solving the issue of the Israeli captive in return for some advantages, whilst only (2.9%) are for the unconditional release and (0.8%) didn't respond. Regarding the next question:" If your answer is 'Yes', but in return for 'some advantages', so which advantages do you suggest?” the proposals came as follows: A majority (47.2%) of the respondents were for the release of female prisoners and children; (18.4%) were for the release of 1.000 Arab/Palestinian prisoners; (17.6%) were for the halt of the military attacks against the Palestinians; (8.9%) for the release of the members of the Palestinian Parliament and the ministers captured in the course of the prevailing crisis; (3.3%) were for the compensation of losses and damages incurred by the Palestinians and (4.6%) answered "otherwise". An overwhelming majority (77.3%) of the Palestinians were for the prompt release of the Israeli prisoner against the fulfillment of certain conditions, while (21.0%) were for a later fulfillment of such conditions on the basis of international and Arab commitments, and (1.7%) hesitated to answer. Concern about the own subsistence Regarding the question: "Up to which extent are you concerned about the subsistence of your family at present?", (33.6%) answered 'very concerned', (43.2%) 'Concerned', (15.2%) 'Not concerned so much', (7.2%) are 'not concerned at all' and (0.7%) said ' I don't know '. The Economic Embargo Responding to the request: "Draw a circle around the figure of the proposal you think would put an end to the condition of the economic and financial embargo imposed upon the Palestinian government", (48.6%) think that the embargo may be lifted by "the formation of a government of national unity", (24.8%) by "the recognition of the state of Israel", (13.8%) by " the halt of firing rockets at Israel ", (10.2%) by "putting an end to the crisis of the Israeli captive" and (2.6%) answered "I don't know". Resignation of the Palestinian leadership An overwhelming majority (74.9%) of the Palestinian public are against the resignation of the PA-president, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, in the light of the events taking place at present in Gaza Strip, whilst (22.5%) are in favor thereof and (2.6%) refused to answer the question. Furthermore, (58.5%) are for the same reason also against the resignation of the Palestinian Prime Minister and his cabinet, whilst (38.2%) are in favor of the resignation and (3.3%) abstained. Call of Mr. Mohammed Hassanen Heikal Responding to the question: "The well-known Egyptian journalist and former editor-in-chief of the widespread "Al-Ahram " newspaper has called Hamas to waive its right of forming the Palestinian government and to remain – instead of that – in the Legislative Council monitoring the government's work. Do you support such a call, or not?", (21.9%) said "I strongly support", (32.0%) "Somewhat support", (23.2%) "Somewhat oppose", (19.1%) "Strongly oppose" and (3.8%) said "I don't know". Resumption of the peace negotiations In answer to the question: "Do you support, or not support, the resumption of the negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government on the peace process?", (24.7%) said " I strongly support", (40.4%) "Somewhat support", (18.1%) "Somewhat don't support", (15.1%) "Strongly don't support" and Methodology of the Survey Study: Mr. Elias Kukali, a staff member of the Research and Studies' Section at the PCPO, said that all interviews of this survey were conducted inside the 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. The choices were taken from a total of (156) election sites, from which (113) sites are located in West Bank and (43) sites in Gaza Strip according to the distribution of the Central Election Commission. 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. Mr. E. Kukali has further established that the margin of error was (±3.0%) at a significance and confidence levels of (5%) and (95%) respectively. He added that the rate of the female respondents in this survey was (48.6%) against (51.4%) male respondents. The distribution of the random sample between the Palestinian two major regions was (64.1%) in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and (35.9%) in Gaza Strip, and allocated as follows: (50.3%) for the towns, (32.1%) for the villages and (17.6%) for the camps. |