Palestinian Views on Government Infrastructure and Political System (2005-2006)

In General, What is the extent of your optimism towards the Palestinian Future? Would you say you are optimistic, somewhat optimistic, or pessimistic? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, February 2006)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza
	N= 1200	N= 760	N= 440
Optimistic	41.2	40.0	43.2
Somewhat Optimistic	38.6	39.7	36.6
Pessimistic	19.6	20.0	18.9
No answer	0.6	0.3	1.3

To what extent would you say the elections process was free and fair? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, February 2006)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza
	N= 1200	N= 760	N= 440
Fair	77.6	81.2	71.4
Somewhat fair	16.4	13.3	21.8
Wasn't fair	4.1	3.9	4.3
No answer	1.9	1.6	2.5

Given the elections results, to what extent you say that the elected members re present your point of view? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, February 2006)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza
	N= 1200	N= 760	N= 440
Represent my point of view	29.1	27.0	32.7
Represent my point of view to a certain extent	38.9	38.2	40.2
Do not represent my point of view	29.6	32.4	24.8
No answer	2.4	2.4	2.3

How concerned are you from Hamas enforcing social restrictions on the Palestinians? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, February 2006)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza
	N= 1200	N= 760	N= 440
Very worried	8.3	10.0	5.2
Somewhat worried	21.3	20.3	23.0
Somewhat not worried	29.3	29.7	28.6
Not worried at all	40.4	39.5	42.0
No answer	0.7	0.5	1.2

If you voted for Hamas , why so? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, February 2006)*

	Total	West Bank	Gaza
	N=532	N=305	N=227
Religious Factors	18.8	18.7	18.9
Hope to end the Corruption	43.0	39.7	47.6
Hope to live in better living conditions	10.7	12.8	7.9
For their political agenda	11.8	12.5	11.0
To stop Fateh's control over the government	7.5	9.2	5.3
Others	2.1	1.0	3.5
No answer	6.1	6.1	5.8

*This question was asked who said that they voted for Hamas

Regardless of whom you voted for, why do you think most People voted for them? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, February 2006)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza
	N= 1200	N=760	N=440
Religious Factors	13.3	14.3	11.6
Hope to end the Corruption	44.0	39.7	51.4
Hope to live in a better living conditions	18.9	19.2	18.4
For their political agenda	6.1	6.4	5.5
To stop Fateh's control over the government	13.5	15.7	9.8
Others	2.7	2.9	2.3
No answer	1.5	1.8	1.0

The status of the Palestinian Judiciary system is: (PCPO, November 16-21, 2005)

Response	Total
Good	18.0%
Mediocre	45.2%
Bad	34.8%
No Opinion	2.0%

The ad hoc committee at the PLC has called for the dismissal of all heads of the security departments and their deputies, who failed in performing their duties properly, from their offices and the appointment of new Palestinian cadres. Do you support this call or not? (PCPO, October 26, 2005)

Strongly agree	50.4%
Somewhat agree	32.4%
Some what disagree	12.4%
Strongly agree	3.1%
Don’t know	1.7%

About 8 months have passed since the election of the new president (Mr. Mahmoud Abbas), how do you evaluate his performance in the following areas? (Bir Zeit Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2005)
1) Improving the performance of security apparatuses	48.3	48.0	48.9
2) Upgrading the situation of women	44.5	40.7	50.5
3) promoting more democracy and freedom of expression	43.7	39.1	51.1
4) Achieving Israeli withdrawal	43.1	36.6	53.5
5) Improving government services	40.1	37.8	43.7
6) Supporting social development and social security programs	39.3	36.0	44.4
7) Achieving equality between regions	32.8	30.1	37.2
8) Uprooting corruption	32.5	30.0	36.3
9) Achieving internal security	31.9	26.3	40.9
In general, how do you evaluate the performance of President (Mr. Mahmoud Abbas)? (Bir Zeit Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2005)
1) Good	41.2	37.0	48.1
2) Fair	41.8	42.7	40.4
3) Weak	17.0	20.4	11.5
In general, how do you evaluate the performance of Prime Minister Mr. Ahmad Qurie’? (Bir Zeit Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2005)
1) Good	24.6	24.9	24.1
2) Fair	39.1	38.0	40.8
3) Weak	36.3	37.0	35.1
In general, how do you evaluate the performance of the present government? (Bir Zeit Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2005)
1) Good	21.6	20.2	23.9
2) Fair	39.8	40.4	38.8
3) Weak	32.1	32.1	32.1
4) No opinion	6.5	7.3	5.2

How do you evaluate the performance of the following Palestinian institutions since the election of President Mahmoud Abbas? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)


Total	Good	satisfied	bad	I don’t know/No opinion	Total
The Presidential Institution	31.3	40.9	19.4	8.5	100.0
The Palestinian Government	27.2	40.3	27.8	4.7	100.0
The Legislative Council	17.1	35.1	42.0	5.8	100.0
The judicious system	26.0	34.5	30.7	8.8	100.0
The security apparatuses	22.3	33.5	40.6	3.7	100.0
West Bank
	Good	satisfied	bad	I don’t know/No opinion	Total
The Presidential Institution	36.5	39.5	14.7	9.3	100.0
The Palestinian Government	33.1	39.1	22.9	4.9	100.0
The Legislative Council	20.8	37.2	35.5	6.5	100.0
The judicious system	30.7	31.7	27.7	9.9	100.0
The security apparatuses	29.2	33.0	34.7	3.1	100.0
Gaza Strip
	Good	satisfied	bad	I don’t know/No opinion	Total
The Presidential Institution	22.2	43.2	27.6	7.0	100.0
The Palestinian Government	17.0	42.4	36.2	4.4	100.0
The Legislative Council	10.6	31.6	53.2	4.6	100.0
The judicious system	18.0	39.2	36.0	6.8	100.0
The security apparatuses	10.4	34.2	50.8	4.6	100.0

Do you think that the Palestinian President began practical and tangible steps towards achieving the following (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

Total
	Yes	No	I don’t know/No opinion	Total
Fighting corruption in public institutions	49.9	42.5	7.6	100.0
Unifying Palestinian security apparatuses	63.8	30.3	6.0	100.0
Enforcing the rule of law	44.6	49.1	6.3	100.0
Putting an end to the chaotic use of arms in Palestinian streets	30.1	64.2	5.7	100.0
Releasing prisoners	32.7	61.8	5.5	100.0
Protecting the subjects of Palestinian resistance	28.6	64.6	6.8	100.0
Limiting mediations in appointments in public positions.	25.2	64.9	9.9	100.0
Providing personal security to Palestinian people	29.0	64.8	6.2	100.0
Improving the economic situation	22.4	71.6	6.0	100.0
Limiting poverty and unemployment	18.4	76.3	5.4	100.0
West Bank
	Yes	No	I don’t know/No opinion	Total
Fighting corruption in public institutions	54.7	38.5	6.9	100.0
Unifying Palestinian security apparatuses	68.6	25.9	5.5	100.0
Enforcing the rule of law	53.3	41.9	4.9	100.0
Putting an end to the chaotic use of arms in Palestinian streets	38.3	57.4	4.3	100.0
Releasing prisoners	40.3	57.4	2.2	100.0
Protecting the subjects of Palestinian resistance	30.7	65.2	4.1	100.0
Limiting mediations in appointments in public positions.	26.9	63.6	9.5	100.0
Providing personal security to Palestinian people	30.9	65.2	3.8	100.0
Improving the economic situation	24.3	72.6	3.1	100.0
Limiting poverty and unemployment	19.1	78.3	2.7	100.0
Gaza Strip
	Yes	No	I don’t know/No opinion	Total
Fighting corruption in public institutions	41.8	49.4	8.8	100.0
Unifying Palestinian security apparatuses	55.4	37.8	6.8	100.0
Enforcing the rule of law	29.6	61.6	8.8	100.0
Putting an end to the chaotic use of arms in Palestinian streets	16.0	75.8	8.2	100.0
Releasing prisoners	19.6	69.2	11.2	100.0
Protecting the subjects of Palestinian resistance	25.0	63.6	11.4	100.0
Limiting mediations in appointments in public positions.	22.4	67.0	10.6	100.0
Providing personal security to Palestinian people	25.8	64.0	10.2	100.0
Improving the economic situation	19.2	70.0	10.8	100.0
Limiting poverty and unemployment	17.2	72.8	10.0	100.0

Do you think that the changes that President Abu Mazen conducted are (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Genuinely for reform	26.8	30.9	19.8
Formal and useless	18.3	14.8	24.4
Partially to isolate some official from decision making	15.1	12.2	20.2
To please some foreign parties	32.1	34.3	28.4
I don not know/ No opinion	7.6	7.8	7.2
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

As for the state of democracy in Palestine, how do you see it? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Good	22.6	22.7	22.4
Fair	41.9	41.2	43.2
Bad	31.4	33.4	28.0
I don not know/ No opinion	4.1	2.8	6.4
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

Do you think that the political system in Palestine heading towards respecting human rights? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Yes	30.4	35.3	22.0
Partially	37.6	34.5	42.8
No	28.4	27.1	30.6
I don not know/ No opinion	3.6	3.0	4.6
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

Do you think that the political system in Palestine is heading towards building a democratic system? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Yes	26.5	28.6	23.0
Partially	43.7	40.7	48.8
No	25.4	26.6	23.2
I don not know/ No opinion	4.4	4.1	5.0
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

How do you assess the respect paid to human rights by the Palestinian Authority? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Good	22.1	25.1	17.0
Fair	45.1	47.8	40.4
Bad	29.3	24.7	37.4
I don not know/ No opinion	3.5	2.4	5.2
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

How do you assess the respect paid to the freedom of press in Palestine by the Palestinian Authority? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	The Gaza Strip
Good	33.2	38.1	24.8
Fair	41.7	39.8	45.0
Bad	19.8	16.0	26.2
I don not know/ No opinion	5.3	6.0	4.0
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

Can you criticize the policies of the Palestinian Authority without fear? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Yes	47.1	48.5	44.8
Partially	25.4	22.6	30.2
No	25.6	27.6	22.2
I don not know/ No opinion	1.9	1.4	2.8
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

Do you feel that you have the freedom to express your opinion in general political issues without fear? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Yes	45.6	47.7	42.0
Partially	26.8	23.8	31.8
No	26.0	27.9	22.6
I don not know/ No opinion	1.7	0.6	3.6
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

Do you think that the Palestinian social system gives you the freedom to adopt any religion or idea you choose? (An-Najah University, May 11-13, 2005)

	Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Yes	39.4	47.4	26.6
Partially	19.3	15.8	25.2
No	39.6	34.2	43.6
I don not know/ No opinion	3.7	2.6	5.6
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0

Palestinian Public Opinion Polls: Views on Government Infrastructure and Political System

(2005 - 2006)