Attitudes Toward Yasser Arafat
Next, I'd like to get your overall opinion of some
people who were in the news this year. As I read each name, please say
if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of this person —
or if you have never heard of him or her....Palestinian leader Yasser
Arafat. (Gallup)
| |
1/6-8/94* |
12/4-6/98 |
12/28-29/98 |
5/7-9/99 |
7/6-9/00 |
10/25-28/00 |
2/5-6/02 |
5/20-22/02 |
| Favorable |
23% |
24% |
35% |
26% |
27% |
18% |
17% |
7% |
| Unfavorable |
52% |
47% |
45% |
44% |
45% |
64% |
73% |
80% |
| Never heard of |
8% |
9% |
5% |
6% |
8% |
6% |
3% |
3% |
| No Opinion |
17% |
20% |
15% |
24% |
20% |
12% |
7% |
10% |
* Asked as PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat
Which of the following statements is closest to
your own view? (Source: ADL,
December 2003)
| The Palestinians and their leader Yasser Arafat are genuinely
interested in reaching a long-term peace agreement with Israel |
25% |
| The real goal of Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian leadership
is to destroy Israel |
57% |
Which of the following statements is closest to
your own view? (Source: ADL,
December 2003)
| The U.S. and Israeli government are correct in their decision
to stop dealing with Yasser Arafat because he has refused or been
unable to stop the terror attacks against Israel. |
59% |
| Yasser Arafat is the duly elected leader of the Palestinian people
-- the U.S. and Israel have no choice but to deal with him. |
27% |
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression
of: (Source: ADL,
December 2003)
| |
Favorable |
Unfavorable |
| President W. Bush |
59% |
36% |
| Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon |
36% |
31% |
| PA Chairman Yasser Arafat |
9% |
66% |
As you may know, U.S. policy says that anyone who
harbors terrorists will be treated as an enemy of the United States.
Do you think that policy should or should not apply to Palestinian Leader
Yasser Arafat? (Gallup/CNN/USA Today, April 3, 2002)
| Yes, should apply |
77% |
| No, should not |
16% |
| No Opinion |
7% |
Would you describe Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat
as an enemy of the United States, or not? (Gallup/CNN/USA Today,
April 5-7, 2002)
| Yes, enemy |
59% |
| No, not enemy |
34% |
| No Opinion |
7% |
What should the Israelis do with Yasser Arafat --
[ROTATED: kill him, send him into exile, or let him go]? (Gallup/CNN/USA
Today, April 3, 2002)
| Kill him |
12% |
| Send him into exile |
52% |
| Let him go |
22% |
| No Opinion |
7% |
I'm going to read you the names of several public figures and groups,
and I'd like you to rate your feelings toward each one as either very
positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative, or very negative.
If you don't know the name, please just say so. Yasser Arafat? (Wall Street Journal/NBC News, December 8-10, 2001)
| Very Positive |
2% |
| Somewhat Positive |
7% |
| Neutral |
20% |
| Somewhat Negative |
19% |
| Very Negative |
41% |
| Don't know |
11% |
From what you've seen or heard in the news, do you think Arafat
has the ability to control extremist Palestinian groups, like those
responsible for the recent violence, or not? (Newsweek, December
6-7, 2001)
| Yes, can control |
29% |
| No, cannot |
63% |
| Don't know |
8% |
Recently, President Bush said he wants to send a
clear signal to PLO Leader Yassir Arafat to end the Palestinian violence
against the Israelis. He ha refused to meet with Arfat and has said
that Israel cannot be expected to negotiate under the threat of terrorism.
What is your reaction to these statements and this policy? Do you...
this specific effort by President Bush? (Luntz, 2001 Republican
Jewish Coalition Survey, November 2001)
| Approve |
79% |
| Oppose |
14% |
| Don't know/Refused |
7% |
Do you believe that after the World Trade Center
terrorist attack [9/11/01], if the United States forced Israel to give
up territory to Yasser Arafat for a Palestinian state including the
dividing of Jerusalem, that it would end terrorism against the United
States, or would it encourage terrorism by rewarding those who support
terrorism like Arafat? (New Atlantic Initiative/Chicago Sun Times, Oct. 15, 2001)
| End terrorism |
10% |
| Encourage terrorism |
62% |
| DK/Refused |
29% |
Are you familiar with Yasser Arafat? IF YES: Are you very
favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable
toward him? (Penn, Schoen & Berland Inc., and First International
Resources Inc., January 25 and February 17, 2001)
| |
General
Public |
Elites |
American Jews |
Influential
Americans |
| Unfamiliar |
12% |
6% |
3% |
0% |
| Very favorable |
4% |
7% |
4% |
0% |
| Somewhat favorable |
24% |
18% |
11% |
0% |
| Somewhat unfavorable |
29% |
36% |
27% |
0% |
| Very unfavorable |
25% |
27% |
53% |
0% |
| Don't know |
6% |
6% |
2% |
0% |
Yasser Arafat was once a terrorist leader - and at heart, he hasn't
really changed his ways. He still wants to push the Jews out of Israel.
Do you strongly agree with this statement, somewhat agree, somewhat
disagree or strongly disagree with this statement? (Penn, Schoen
& Berland Inc., and First International Resources Inc., January
25 and February 17, 2001)
| |
General
Public |
Elites |
American Jews |
Influential Americans |
| Strongly agree |
35% |
29% |
58% |
0% |
| Somewhat agree |
25% |
31% |
19% |
0% |
| Somewhat disagree |
23% |
27% |
13% |
0% |
| Strongly disagree |
10% |
9% |
6% |
0% |
| Don't know |
7% |
4% |
4% |
0% |
|