An-Najah National University
Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies
Tel: (972) (9) 2345113 Fax: (972)(9) 2345982
Nablus - Palestinian: P.O.Box 7, 707
Email: Polls@najah.edu hussein596@yahoo.com

Results of Palestinian Public Opinion Poll
No 25
22-24 January 2006

The Results
Following are the results of the 25th Palestinian Public Opinion Poll
conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah
National University during the period from January 22-24, 2006. The
University sponsors all polls conducted by its Center.

The opinions represented in the results reflect those of the study; they do
not represent by any means the opinion of An-Najah National University.

The sample included 1360 persons whose age group is 18 and above and who
have the right to vote. The enclosed questionnaire was distributed on 860
persons from the West Bank and 500 persons from the Gaza Strip. The sample
was drawn randomly and the margin of error is about +/-3%; still 2.5% of the
members of the sample refused to answer the questionnaire.

The General Results of the Poll

Are you optimistic or pessimistic towards the general Palestinian situation
at this stage?
Optimistic 31.5 Pessimistic 66.4 No opinion/I do not know 2.1

Under the current situation, do you feel that you, your family and your
properties are secure?
Yes 12.6 To some extent I do 25.6 No 61.3 No opinion/I do not know 0.5

Under the current circumstances in which direction has your economic
situation developed?
Towards the best 5.5 Towards the worst 71.8 It stayed the same 22.7

In your opinion, how did security conditions develop within the last months?
Towards the best 5.4 Towards the worst 74.5 It stayed the same 19.2
No opinion/I do not know 0.9

Do think that the armed confrontations between Fateh and Hamas will escalate
in the coming period?
Yes 20.6 May be 42.4 No 3.4
No opinion/I do not know 6.6

Do you think that Fateh is really concerned with ending armed confrontations
with Hamas?
Yes 50.0 No 34.9 No opinion/I do not know 15.1

Do you think that Hamas is really concerned with ending armed confrontations
with Fateh?
Yes 47.1 No 38.8 No opinion/I do not know 14.2

After the armed confrontations between Fateh and Hamas, do you think that
the Palestinian arena is now witnessing a civil war?
Yes 53.5 No 42.1 No opinion/I do not know 4.3

President Mahmoud Abbas announced his intention to call for early
presidential and legislative elections if an agreement to form a Palestinian
unity government is not reached. Do you support or reject the President's
call for early elections?
(West Bank)((Gaza Strip))
I support 52.0 (46.9)((60.8))
I reject 40.4(46.4)((30.2))
No opinion/I do not know 7.6

After President Abbas's declaration of his intention to call for early
presidential and legislative elections if an agreement to form a new
government is not reached, Hamas rejected conducting early elections. Do you
support or reject Hamas' position?
I support 38.8(40.6)((35.6))
I reject 51.7(49.2)((56.0))
No opinion/I do not know 9.6

If new presidential elections are conducted, whom do you vote for?
Total(West Bank)((Gaza Strip))
For an independent candidate 10.2
For a Hamas candidate 19.0
For a Fateh candidate 29.0(21.9)((41.4))
For a candidate from the left 2.7
I will not participate in the elections. 21.2(26.2)((12.6))
I have not decided yet 17.1
No opinion/I do not know 0.7

If new PLC elections are conducted, whom do you vote for?
For an independent candidate10.2
For a Hamas candidate19.3
For a Fateh candidate 29.5(22.4)((41.6))
For a candidate from the left 2.7
I will not participate in the elections. 20.7(25.2)((12.8))
I have not decided yet 17.0(20.9)((10.2))
No opinion/I do not know0.7

Khalid Mishal said in one of his declarations that Israel is a reality, do
you think that Mishal's declaration is a preface to the recognition of
Israel by Hamas?
Yes 49.5 No 40.1 No opinion/I do not know 10.4

Do you think that the proposal that some European countries and
personalities submitted to the Palestinian Prime Minister's Advisor is a new
"Oslo deal"?
Yes 40.5 No 33.8 No opinion/I do not know 25.7

In your opinion, what form of government do you see most fit to run the
affairs of the Palestinian Authority (PA)?
A national unity government 54.4
A national independent technocrat government 18.1
A Hamas government 8.1
A Fateh government 15.3
No opinion/I do not know 4.1

In your opinion, would an agreement to form a Palestinian unity government
relieve Palestinians from the political and financial sanctions imposed on
them?
Yes 71.3 No 21.4 No opinion/I do not know 7.4

Do you think that Hamas is really concerned with forming a national unity
government?
Yes 50.2(58.0)((36.8))
No 40.0(42.6)((52.8))
No opinion/I do not know 9.89.410.4

Do you think that Fateh is really concerned with forming a national unity
government?
Yes 56.8 No 32.7 No opinion/I do not know 10.5

In your opinion what is the reason behind the delay in the formation of a
national unity government?
The disagreement on the political agenda of the government. 16.6
The disagreement on the distributions of portfolios 29.6
Foreign influences 25.2
Hamas' and Fateh's reluctance to have partnership 21.1
Other 2.5
No opinion/I do not know 5.0

Do you support or reject that the coming government should only be
responsible for services without having any thing to do the political
affairs?
I support 23.7 I reject 68.8 No opinion/I do not know 7.6

Do you support or reject that the responsibilities of negotiations with
Israel be only given to the PLO?
I support 46.0(42.8)((51.6))
I reject 45.4(48.6)((40.0))
No opinion/I do not know 8.5

Do you support or reject the reformation of the PLO so that it would include
all nonmember Palestinian factions?
I support 77.6 I reject 15.1 No opinion/I do not know 7.2

In your opinion what are the priorities of the future government?
(Give your preferences on a 0-10 scale)
Imposing order on local security conditions 8.7529
Creating job opportunities 8.6243
Improving the economic conditions and encouraging investments 8.5132
Upgrading public health services 8.5779
Upgrading public education services 8.6118
Carrying out court verdicts 8.1721
Improving the performance of local councils (municipalities) 8.1412
Restructuring security apparatuses 8.4176

Now that the employees of the public sector returned to work after a
four-month strike, do you think that they achieved their demands?
Yes 24.0 No 70.4 No opinion/I do not know 5.6

Do you think that the employees of the public sector will resume their
strike if the government fails to honor its commitments to them?
Yes 79.0 No 15.7 No opinion/I do not know 5.3

Do you support or reject armed operations inside Israel?
Total (West Bank)((Gaza Strip))
I strongly support 23.7(16.7)((35.6))
I support 32.9(34.2)((30.6))
Total support 56.6(50.9)((67.2))
I reject 30.7(35.7)((22.0))
I strongly reject 6.7(5.9)((8.0))
Total reject 37.4(41.6)((30.0))
No opinion/I do not know 6.1(7.4)((3.8))

Do you support or reject concentrating Palestinian resistance within the
1967 borders alongside with political negotiations?
I strongly support 19.6(12.1)((32.4))
I support 44.6(47.6)((39.4))
Total support 64.2(59.7)((71.8))
I reject 23.7(27.2)((17.6))
I strongly reject 5.7(5.2)((6.4))
Total reject 29.4(32.4)((24.0))
No opinion/I do not know 6.5(7.9)((4.2))

Do support or reject firing rockets by Palestinian factions from the Strip
against Israel?
I strongly support 15.4
I support 32.0
Total support 47.4
I reject 37.5
I strongly reject 9.9
Total reject 47.4
No opinion/I do not know 5.3

Do you think that firing rockets from the Gaza Strip against Israel hurts or
helps Palestinian national struggle?
It helps 30.1 It hurts 47.1 It is useless 17.5
No opinion/I do not know 5.4

In your opinion and under the current local and international circumstances
what form of struggle would best serve the Palestinian cause?
Peaceful struggle (demonstrations; sit ins--)14.5
Armed struggle 27.2
Diplomatic struggle (international stands and forums)12.9
Resorting to negotiations as in the past 36.7
Other 4.0
No opinion/I do not know 4.8

Do think that kidnapping and detaining sympathizers and journalists by some
would help Palestinian struggle?
It serves 10.9 It hurts 75.0 It is useless 12.9
No opinion/I do not know 1.3

Do you think that there is an outside interference in the Palestinian
political decision?
Yes 77.3 No 17.0 No opinion/I do not know 5.7

If your response to the above question is "yes", do you think that the
interference is --------?
Arabic 6.5 Foreign 22.5 Both Arabic and foreign 68.9
No opinion/I do not know 2.2

Generally, how do you assess the interference in the Palestinian political
decision?
Positive 10.6 Negative 72.1 Without effect 14.3
No opinion/I do not know 3.0

Do you think that the current visit of the US secretary of state,
Gondaleezza Rice to the Middle East achieved progress towards pushing
forward the peace process and the implementation of the Road Map?
Yes 9.5 No 80.7 No opinion/I do not know 9.9

What do you think that the US and Israeli declarations in support of
President Mahmoud Abbas' policy lead to?
They reinforce trust of Palestinian people in his policy. 12.9
They reduce trust of Palestinian people in his policy. 50.1
They have no influence 29.9
No opinion/I do not know 7.1

In general how do you assess the performance of the following Palestinian
institutions?
Very ------------Very
Very Good Bad Bad No opinion /I do not know
15.3 37.9 32.2 11.2 03.4 Palestinian Presidency
11.4 34.7 34.6 14.8 04.6 Palestinian Government
08.8 30.6 38.4 14.3 07.9 Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)
06.3 29.3 39.6 14.2 10.7 Judicial system
04.7 28.0 40.8 21.4 05.1 Security apparatuses
06.1 37.4 34.9 15.3 06.3 Palestinian factions
08.4 50.2 24.7 06.8 09.9 Civil society organizations
22.8 52.2 15.0 04.3 05.7 Palestinian universities
11.7 47.3 26.0 08.7 06.3 Municipalities and village councils
10.3 45.7 29.3 09.9 04.8 Ministry of Health
10.5 43.8 25.7 09.6 10.4 Ministry of Social Affairs
15.7 47.3 23.1 07.8 06.1 Ministry of Education and Higher Education
06.4 29.5 35.5 16.6 12.0 Ministry Finance
08.6 37.3 28.2 10.3 15.7 Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs
07.7 28.1 33.3 17.9 13.0 Ministry of Interior Affairs
06.0 27.1 31.9 16.3 18.7 Ministry Foreign Affairs
05.4 31.0 29.5 11.8 22.3 Employees Bureau
08.2 41.9 24.6 07.5 17.9 Institutions of the Private Sector
05.9 26.4 28.5 11.0 28.2 Palestinian Investment Fund
Which of the following political affiliations do you support?
People's Party 1.0
Democratic Front 1.0
Islamic Jihad 3.1
Fateh 34.8(29.0)((44.8))
Hamas 19.8
Fida 0.5
Popular Front 3.2
Palestinian National Initiative 1.0
I am an independent nationalist 6.0
I am an independent Islamist 3.7
None of the above 24.9(32.4)((11.8))
Others 1.2