New PCPO Poll — Between Diplomacy and Popular Resistance

Dear colleagues and friends,

Dr. Nabil Kukali, Founder and President of the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO), is pleased to share his latest public opinion survey and analytical article entitled:

“Between Diplomacy and Popular Resistance: How Do Palestinians View the Most Effective Path Toward Rights and Peace?”

The survey examines Palestinian attitudes toward diplomacy, peaceful popular resistance, civilian protection, mutual security, trust, and the practical conditions required for a just and lasting peace.

Among the key findings:

• 57.6% chose a combination of political and diplomatic action and peaceful popular resistance as the most effective way to gain international support for Palestinian rights.
• When all political and peaceful options are combined, 92.9% preferred one or more nonmilitary approaches, while only 3.2% selected military action.
• 74.8% said that targeting civilians by any party weakens international support for peace and stability.
• 78.6% agreed that achieving Palestinian political and diplomatic gains requires greater emphasis on peaceful rather than military means.
• 80.6% said that lasting peace requires security, dignity, and freedom for both Palestinians and Israelis.
• 80.9% believed that political agreements alone are not enough without trust and mutual respect between the two peoples.
• 77.7% viewed the lack of trust between Palestinians and Israelis as a major or moderate obstacle to peace.
• 44.3% identified ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state as the strongest single guarantee of lasting peace.
• 76.1% selected ending violence and military measures as an important step toward improving conditions, while 70.6% chose ending settlement expansion and 67.3% supported the resumption of serious peace negotiations.

In his analysis of the findings, Dr. Nabil Kukali highlights three main observations.

First, the survey reveals a clear Palestinian preference for combining diplomacy with peaceful popular action. This does not represent a retreat from Palestinian national rights or from the goal of ending the occupation. Rather, it reflects a practical judgment that political, legal, diplomatic, and peaceful public action may be more effective in protecting Palestinian society, gaining international support, and achieving meaningful political results.

Second, support for peaceful methods cannot be separated from developments on the ground. Palestinians cannot be expected to maintain confidence in diplomacy while settlement expansion, settler violence, the withholding of clearance revenues, restrictions on fuel supplies, tensions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and broad punitive measures continue. Peaceful approaches require a credible political horizon and tangible evidence that they can deliver justice and meaningful change.

Finally, the findings present an important opportunity for international action. The United States, Western governments, and Arab states should act urgently and in coordination to prevent further deterioration. Their role should go beyond general calls for restraint and include protecting civilians, opposing collective punishment and settler violence, ending settlement expansion, and supporting a serious political process based on international law, mutual security, dignity, freedom, and Palestinian rights.

The central message of the poll is clear: Palestinians do not separate peace from rights, security from freedom, or diplomacy from peaceful popular resistance. However, the success of this approach requires reciprocal Israeli steps and effective international and Arab engagement to demonstrate that peaceful means can achieve fair and meaningful results.

The survey was conducted among 309 Palestinian respondents from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

You can read the article through the following links:

English version (PDF): Click here

Arabic version (PDF): Click here

Best regards,
Dr. Nabil Kukali
Founder and President
Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO)