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Palestinian Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes on War in Iraq

In the war between the United States and Saddam Hussein, whom did you support? (PORI, September 2003)

  Israeli Jews Israeli Arabs Palestinians
Strongly Hussein -- 21% 50%
Mostly Hussein -- 17% 24%
Mostly United States 22% 10% 6%
Strongly United States 73% 9% 4%
Don't Know 5% 44% 16%

And in general, do you _ the people who are attacking American troops in Iraq right now. (PORI, September 2003)

  Israeli Jews Israeli Arabs Palestinians
Strongly Support -- 40% 26%
Somewhat support -- 21% 16%
Somewhat Oppose 25% 12% 21%
Strongly Oppose 71% 15% 23%
Don't know 5% 12% 14%

In your opinion, what is the influence of the current war in Iraq on the Palestinian cause? Is it negative? Positive? Or does not have an influence? (Source: JMCC Poll, April 2003)

Total
West Bank
Gaza
N=1201

N=761

N=440

Has a negative influence
56.1
55.2
57.7
Has a positive influence
16.6
15.6
18.2
Does not have an influence
15.2
16.0
13.9
I Don’t know
10.1
10.6
9.1
No answer.
2.0
2.6
1.1

Do you support or oppose the American and coalition war against Iraq? (Source: PSR, April 2003)

  Total West Bank Gaza
Oppose 0.4 0.5 0.2
Definitely support 0.8 1.1 0.4
Support 9.5 12.3 4.9
Definitely oppose 89.1 85.9 94.5
No opinion / do not know 0.2 0.2 0.0

In your view, how does the war in Iraq affect the Palestinians and the Israelis? For example: (Source: PSR, April 2003)

 

Total%

West Bank %

Gaza Strip%

Will Israel be able to exploit the opportunity to carry out a mass expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip?

1) Will be able

45.5

45.9

45.0

2) Will not be able

43.7

44.4

42.6

3) War will have no impact on Israeli policy

6.9

5.2

9.5

4) No opinion/ Do Not Know

3.9

4.5

2.8

       
Does the war bring the parties closer or take them further away from a return to the peace process and the negotiations?

 

Total%

West Bank %

Gaza Strip%

1) Bring them closer

18.6

18.0

19.5

2) Take them further away

60.7

61.5

59.2

3) Has no impact on the peace process

13.3

12.1

15.4

4) No opinion/ Do Not Know

7.5

8.4

5.9

       
Does it weaken or strengthen the desire of the Palestinians to carry out armed attacks on Israelis?

 

Total%

West Bank %

Gaza Strip%

1) Weaken

10.4

10.2

10.5

2) Strengthen

77.9

77.1

79.3

3) Does not have an impact

8.2

8.2

8.3

4) No opinion/ Do Not Know

3.5

4.5

1.8

       
Who, in your opinion, will win this war in Iraq ?      

 

Total%

West Bank %

Gaza Strip%

1) Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein

60.5

59.2

62.7

2) The US and its coalition partners

11.9

12.3

11.4

3) All are losers

17.6

17.7

17.4

4) Others (specify ------- )

1.8

2.3

0.8

5) No opinion/ do not know

8.2

8.5

7.7

In your opinion what is the primary motive for the US and GB decision to go to war against Iraq ? (Source: PSR, April 2003)

 

Total%

West Bank %

Gaza Strip%

1) To disarm Iraq from mass destruction weapons which put the world in danger

1.7

1.5

2.1

2) To seize Iraqi oil and make economic gains

58.4

55.7

62.8

3) To force the Western norms and values on the Iraqi people

2.3

2.6

1.9

4) To help Israel in its struggle against the Arab World

31.6

33.6

28.2

5) Others

4.8

5.6

3.6

6) No opinion/ do not know

1.1

1.0

1.3

Do you expect a US attack on Iraq? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
62.3% 
65.6%
56.7%
No
33.2%
29.2%
39.9%
No opinion
4.5%
5.2%
3.4%

If a war breaks out between Iraq and the US, do you expect Iraq will launch missiles against Israel like the last time? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
52.2%
50.6%
54.9%
No
42.9%
43.1%
42.6%
No opinion
4.9%
6.3%
2.5%

If Iraq launches missiles against Israel, are you concerned that Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza will be injured? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
48.5%
45.3%
54.0%
No
46.9%
49.7%
42.1%
No opinion 
4.6%
5.6%
3.9%

Do you support Iraq and sympathize with it in this crisis? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
94.1%
96.9%
89.3%
No
4.8%
2.3%
9.1%
No opinion 
1.1%
0.8%
1.6%

If you support Iraq, is this support based on: (This question asked only to those who answered yes to Q.4 above) (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998)  

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
You backing of the policy of the Iraqi government headed by Saddam 
4.5% 
4.8%
3.8%
Your sympathy with the Iraqi people
25.2% 
22.6%
30.1%
Your position against the US and its policies in the region
17.3% 
10.5%
29.8%
First & second reasons
6.4% 
7.2%
5.1%
First & third reasons
5.6%
6.9%
3.3%
Second & third reasons
28.4%
32.2%
21.2%
Al the three reasons
12.4%
15.7%
6.4%
No opinion
0.2%
0.1%
0.3%

Do you support the Palestinian Authority's (PA) position on the current Iraqi crisis? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Support
46.2%
44.2%
49.7%
Oppose
25.9%
27.5%
23.2%
Do not know the position of the Authority 
23.6%
24.2%
22.6%
No opinion 
4.3%
4.1%
4.5%

Do you think the US implements a double-standard policy in dealing with crises in the region? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
80.5%
84.6%
73.3%
No
13.1%
10.7%
17.3%
No opinion 
6.4%
4.7%
9.4%

If the US launches a strike against Iraq. Do you support Iraq launching a strike against Israel? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
77.2%
76.23%
78.8%
No
15.7%
14.3%
18.2%
No opinion 
7.1%
9.5%
3.0%

The Palestinian Police issued an order banning demonstrations and marches that might lead to acts of violence
and disturbances, such as burning flags? Do you support or disagree with the order?
(Source: JMCC Poll, February 1998) 

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Support 
32.7%
30.3%
36.9%
Oppose
57.6%
59.3%
54.7%
No opinion
9.7%
10.4%
8.4%