Palestinian Views on Refugees, Settlements, and other Controversial Issues

The Donia Al Watan Website said that President Mahmoud Abbas committed himself to disarm the Palestinian refugees of Lebanon if the Lebanese government asks him to do so. Do you agree with this commitment?  (Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, July 20-26, 2005)

Strongly agree

16.0%

Somewhat agree

31.0%

Somewhat disagree

24.8%

Strongly disagree

21.2%

Don’t know.

7.0%

Do you think that the Palestinians are obliged to waive their claims to the right of Home-return, which Israel will never agree to, as the price of establishing an independent state for them and the conclusion of a peace agreement with Israel? (Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, November 4 - 8, 2004)

The Palestinians have to accept that
15.0%
The Palestinians shouldn't accept that, even if consequently no peace agreement would be concluded with Israel.
72.2%
No opinion
12.8%

In case the Palestinian leadership would accept the waiver of the right of Home-return and replace that with financial compensation. Would you accept or refuse that? (Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, November 4 - 8, 2004)

would accept that
13.0%
would refuse that
78.6%
no opinion
8.4%

Taking into account the general current political situation, do you believe that: (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
All refugees will return to their homes and lands including inside the Green Line
5.6% 
3.6%
9.1%
Only the refugees living outside Palestine will return to the areas of the PNA
10.6%
10.8%
10.3%
A small number of the refugees of the outside will be return to the PNA areas and also a small number of refugees will return to inside the Green Line
7.8%
5.8%
11.2%
Only a limited number of refugees from the outside will be returned to the PNA areas 
29.1%
31.7%
24.7%
No refugees will be allowed to return to the PNA areas or to inside of the Green Line
33.2%
35.1%
29.9%
No answer
13.6%
12.9%
14.8%

If refugees were offered the chance to return to their lands and homes on the condition that they accept Israeli law and rule, do you believe that: (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
All refugees will accept to return even on this condition
3.8%
3.2%
4.8%
A large number of refugees will agree to return under this condition
10.1%
11.1%
8.4%
A small number of refugees will agree to return under this condition
26.5%
28.5%
23.1%
No refugees will accept to return under this condition
47.6%
41.1%
58.9%
No answer
12.0%
16.1%
4.8%

Do you think that permitting 100,000 refugees to return to their homes and lands in Israel is a good idea which would easen the refugee problem? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
21.4%
20.3%
23.3%
Maybe
42.4%
45.6%
37.0%
No
28.5%
26.6%
32.0%
No answer
7.6%
7.5%
7.8%

How do you define yourself from the following choices?* (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

West Bank & Gaza Strip
Arab 
25.6% 
Palestinian
32.6%
Moslem/Christian
30.0%
From a certain village/city/camp
4.1%
From a certain clan
0.8%
Refugee
6.4%
Other
0.4%
* This is a multiple response - Total responses are 3466 - Valid cases = 1171 - Missing cases = 24

How do you define yourself from the following choices? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total
 
1st Choice
2nd Choice
3rd Choice
Arab 
17.9% 
27.7%
28.6%
Palestinian
30.9%
45.5%
18.4%
Moslem/Christian
45.1%
15.2%
26.7%
From a certain village/city/camp
0.8%
3.0%
8.2%
From a certain clan
0.6%
0.5%
1.3%
Refugee
2.4%
4.4%
11.7%
Other
0.3%
0.4%
0.6%
No answer
2.1%
3.3%
4.5%
West Bank
1st Choice
2nd Choice
3rd Choice
Arab 
20.2% 
28.0%
28.8%
Palestinian
34.3%
44.9%
17.8%
Moslem/Christian
40.7%
16.9%
29.3%
From a certain village/city/camp
0.7%
3.4%
10.4%
From a certain clan
0.9%
0.4%
1.1%
Refugee
1.7%
3.2%
7.7%
Other
0.3%
0.4%
0.8%
1.2%
2.8%
4.1%
Gaza Strip
1st choice
2nd choice
3rd choice
Arab 
13.9% 
27.2%
28.3%
Palestinian
24.9%
46.1%
19.4%
Moslem/Christian
52.7%
12.3%
22.1%
From a certain village/city/camp
0.9%
2.3%
4.3%
From a certain clan
-
0.7%
1.6%
Refugee
3.7%
6.6%
18.7%
Other
0.2%
0.5%
0.2%
No answer
3.7%
4.3%
5.3%

 

Do you support the idea of transfering the duties of UNRWA to the PNA? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
26.5% 
29.1%
22.1%
No
61.3%
57.7%
67.6%
No answer 
12.2%
13.2%
10.3%

In your view, what makes the refugee a refugee?* (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

West Bank & Gaza Strip 
Loss of the land
27.8%
Loss of the mother land
29.6%
Loss of the house 
19.5%
Living in a refugee camp
10.1%
Possession of an UNRWA card
6.8%
Poverty
5.5%
Other
0.7%
* This is a multiple response. - Total responses are 3451 - Valid cases = 1165 -  Missing cases = 30

In your view, what makes the refugee a refugee? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)
Total
1st choice
2nd choice
3rd choice
Loss of the land 
28.1% 
28.7%
13.6%
Loss of the mother land
50.9%
26.9%
7.6%
Loss of the house
9.6%
12.3%
34.5%
Livining in a refugee camp
4.4%
10.1%
14.6%
Possession of an UNRWA card
2.7%
4.1%
12.7%
Poverty
1.6%
3.1%
11.3%
Other
0.3%
0.7%
1.2%
No answer
2.5%
4.1%
4.6%
West Bank
1st choice
2nd choice
3rd choice
Loss of the land 
26.6% 
40.4%
16.5%
Loss of the mother land
52.6%
27.3%
7.8%
Loss of the house
11.2%
13.2%
39.5%
Living in a refugee camp
4.5%
9.0%
11.9%
Possession of an UNRWA card
2.6%
2.5%
10.0%
Poverty
0.8%
2.9%
8.3%
Other
0.1%
0.9%
1.6%
No answer
1.6%
3.7%
4.4%
Gaza Strip
1st choice
2nd choice
3rd choice
Loss of the land 
30.8% 
35.6%
8.4%
Loss of the mother land
47.9%
26.3%
7.3%
Loss of the house
6.8%
10.7%
25.8%
Livining in a refugee camp
4.1%
12.1%
19.2%
Possession of an UNRWA card
2.7%
6.8%
17.4%
Poverty
3.0%
3.4%
16.4%
Other
0.5%
0.2%
0.5%
No answer
4.1%
4.8%
5.0%

From amongst the five final-status issues: the boundaries, Jerusalem, the settlements, the refugees, and water where do you list the refugee issue as to its difficulty? Do you see it first, second, third, fourth or fifth? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
First issue
21.1%
17.7%
26.9%
Second issue
29.6%
28.9%
30.8%
Third issue 
21.6%
22.7%
19.6%
Fourth issue
14.1%
18.2%
6.8%
Fifth issue
6.1%
4.0%
9.8%
No answer
7.5%
8.5%
5.9%

In your opinion, of the following issues discussed in the framework of the Israeli - Palestinian peace negotiations, which are the three most difficult for the two sides to find an agreeable solution to? Please indicate the most difficult issue, the second most difficult and the third? (Source: JMCC Poll, December 1999)

Most Difficult                    Arab Israelis (N= 500)                              Arab Israelis (N= 500)
                                                   Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
Palestinian State
 14.2
20.4 
17.2 
51.8 
3
7.2 
16.7 
14.5 
38.4 
4
Jerusalem
53.2
23.4
6.2
82.8
1
70.9
13.7
4.4
89.0
1
Borders
1.4
11.4
7.2
20.0
5
4.8
17.3
17.5
39.7
3
Refugees
11.0
15.8
29.8
56.6
2
7.2
15.4
14.3
36.8
5
Water
3.8
1.6
4.2
9.7
6
2.1
9.3
11.7
23.1
6
Jewish Settlements
5.0
13.6
18.2
36.8
4
3.8
19.8
21.8
45.5
2
Don't know
8.4
8.4
8.4
25.2
 
3.3
7.4
14.9
25.6
 
No answer
3.0
5.4
8.8
17.2
 
-
-
-
-
 
Other answer
-
-
-
-
 
0.8
0.3
0.8
1.6
7
Total
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 

Most Difficult         Palestinians in West Bank* (N=762)              Palestinians in Gaza (N=348)
                                                    Rank                                                                Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
Palestinian State
 16.3
 10.4
9.4 
36.1 
4
10.3
19.5 
9.4 
39.2 
4
Jerusalem
52.2
20.6
11.4
84.2
1
66.4
17.6
5.3
99.3
1
Borders
3.7
10.8
14.8
26.3
5
1.1
5.5
7.5
14.1
6
Refugees
9.3
26.5
23.9
59.7
2
7.1
29.0
21.5
57.6
2
Water
3.1
6.5
9.7
19.3
6
3.9
7.1
13.7
24.7
5
Jewish Settlements
11.3
20.5
24.8
56.6
3
7.3
15.8
30.6
53.7
3
Don't know
-
-
-
-
 
-
-
-
-
 
No answer
4.1
4.7
6.0
14.8
 
3.9
5.5
11.9
21.3
 
Total
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 

*Including East Jerusalem
 

In your opinion, which of above issues are the three most important for the two sides to find an agreeable solution to? (Source: JMCC Poll, December 1999)

Most Important Issue               Arab Israelis (N=500)                            Israeli Jews (N=500)
                                                               Rank                                                       Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
Palestinian State
 13.8
20.4 
19.4 
53.6 
2
13.8
14.0 
12.1 
38.4 
 4
Jerusalem
48.2
22.0
6.2
76.4
1
48.4
18.8
9.2
89.0
1
Borders
1.8
8.8
7.0
17.6
5
12.1
17.1
15.3
39.7
3
Refugees
13.6
14.6
24.4
52.6
3
5.2
13.3
10.3
36.8
5
Water
5.8
3.8
4.0
13.6
6
6.4
10.4
13.0
23.1
6
Jewish Settlements
5.6
16.2
19.0
40.8
4
4.6
13.2
22.3
45.5
2
Don't know
8.6
8.6
8.6
25.8
 
6.6
12.6
17.2
36.4
 
No answer
2.6
5.6
11.4
19.6
7
-
-
-
-
 
Other Answer
-
-
-
-
 
2.8
0.6
0.6
3.3
7
Total
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 
100.0%
 
 
 
 

Most Important         Palestinians in West Bank* (N=762)                 Palestinians in Gaza (N=438)
Issue                                                           Rank                                                     Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
1
2
3
Total
Overall Rank
Palestinian State
 18.0
10.0 
12.2 
40.2 
4
11.9
13.7 
11.6 
37.2 
4
Jerusalem
48.7
21.0
10.6
80.3
1
55.0
18.0
5.3
78.3
1
Borders
6.0
13.5
14.3
33.8
5
2.5
8.2
9.1
19.8
6
Refugees
9.2
24.7
24.8
58.7
2
9.4
29.2
18.7
57.3
2
Water
4.5
7.6
9.6
21.7
6
7.3
8.9
13.5
29.7
5
Jewish Settlements
11.0
19.7
24.3
55.0
3
9.4
14.2
29.7
53.3
3
Don't know
-
-
-
-
 
-
-
-
-
 
No answer
2.6
3.5
4.2
10.3
 
4.5
7.8
12.1
24.4
 
Total
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
 
 

*Including East Jerusalem  

Are you satisfied with the postponement of negotiations on the refugee issue until the final negotiations? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
Yes
18.7%
19.3%
17.8%
No
61.2%
57.5%
67.6%
I don't know
14.4%
17.2%
9.6%
No answer
5.7%
6.1%
5.0%

Do you agree to give priority in solving the refugee problem to the refugees residing outside Palestine? For example the refugees of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)
Total 
West Bank 
Gaza Strip 
I agree
45.7%
48.3%
41.1%
I do not agree
41.2%
37.9%
46.8%
No answer
13.1%
13.7%
12.1%

In the framework of the final status negotiations, do you agree that the solution to the refugee issue woud be to grant them with the right of return only to the Palestinian state only, or would you say that the solution should guarantee their right to return back to their homes that they were forced to leave in 1948? (Source: JMCC Poll)
Total (12/96)
Total  (8/97)
West Bank (12/96)
West Bank  (8/97)
Gaza Strip (12/96) Gaza Strip (8/97)
I agree that their return be limited to the Palestinian state 19.4
13.6%
23.6
12.4%
11.1
15.5%
The solution should guarantee their right to return back to their homes that they were forces to leave in 1948 73.2
59.8%
68.3
58.1%
85.6
62.8%
I do not know --
22.1%
--
25.0%
--
17.1%
No answer / No opinion 7.4
4.5%
8.1
4.5%
6.3
4.6%

 

Refugees' First Choice (PSR Poll of Refugees) (for the exercise of the right of the right of return) (January-June 2003, PSR)

 

(West Bank and Gaza Strip) WBGS%

Jordan%

Lebanon%

Total (% of total population in the three areas)

1.       Return to Israel and become (or not become) an Israeli citizen

12

5

23

10

2.       Stay in the Palestinian state that will be established in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and receive a fair compensation for the property taken over by Israel and for other losses and suffering

38

27

19

31

3.       Receive Palestinian citizenship and return to designated areas inside Israel that would be swapped later on with Palestinian areas as part of a territorial exchange and receive any deserved compensation

 

37

10

21

23

4.       Receive fair compensation for the property, losses, and suffering and stay in host country receiving its citizenship or Palestinian citizenship

-

33

11

17

5.       Receive fair compensation for the property, losses, and suffering and immigrate to a European country or the US, Australia, or Canada and obtain citizenship of that country or Palestinian citizenship

1

2

9

2