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Palestinian Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes Toward Yasser Arafat

Six years after the departure of the leader Yasser Arafat, do you feel that you miss him or not? (PCPO, October 2010)
I strongly miss him
60.3%
I somewhat miss him
26.4%
I somehow don't miss him
5.4%
I don't miss him at all
6.3%
Don't know
1.6%

Does knowing the nature of the sickness that led to the decease of President Arafat concern you? (Center of Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at Najah National University, November 19-20, 2004).

Yes
90.5%
No
8.2%
No Opinion/DK
1.3%

Do you think that there is a need to make public the medical report of President Arafat after the French Government hands it in to his family? (Center of Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at Najah National University, November 19-20, 2004).

Yes
93.2%
No
5.4%
No Opinion/DK
1.4%

Several Palestinian personalities support the conviction that Arafat died by being poisoned, do you believe this? (Center of Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at Najah National University, November 19-20, 2004).

Yes
80.3%
No
8.9%
No Opinion/DK
10.8%

To what degree do you support President Arafat? (Source: PCPO)

  November 20, 2002 June 30, 2003 September 30, 2003 November 12, 2003 February 9, 2004
Strongly support 20.2 31.7 41.6 42.5 27.1
Somewhat support 18.1 32.7 32.1 29.9 32.2
Somewhat oppose 21.7 22.3 16.3 17.2 17.6
Strongly oppose 16.1 7.2 4.6 4.6 12.1
No Opinion 23.9 6.1 5.4 5.8 11.0

In general, how would you rate the overall performance of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat? Would you say that his performance has been good, average, or bad? (Source: JMCC Poll, May 1997)

  Total (6/95) Total (8/95) Total (10/95) Total (4/96) Total (8/96) Total (11/96) Total (4/97) Total (5/97) Total (7/97) Total (3/99)
Very good   15.7       --        
Good / Well 52.0 28.0 51.4 44.8 56.5 68.4 67.8 53.8 49.5 49.4
Average / Fair 24.7 28.2 25.9 32.9 23.9 20.8 21.8 30.3 33.0 32.1
Bad / Poor 13.9 11.7 11.8 14.9 9.3 6.1 6.2 11.6 12.8 10.5
Very bad -- 8.8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.3
I do not know -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3.0 -- --
No answer / No opinion 9.4 7.6 10.9 7.9 10.2 4.7 4.2 1.3 4.7 2.7

In general, how would you rate the overall performance of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat? Would you say that his performance has been good, average, or bad? (Source: JMCC Poll, May 1997)

  West Bank (6/95) West Bank (10/95) West Bank (8/96) West Bank (11/96) West Bank (4/97) West Bank (5/97) West Bank (7/97) West Bank (3/99)
Very good       --        
Good / Well 46.7 49.9 47.1 60.4 61.4 46.0 43.8 48.4
Average / Fair 26.1 26.8 28.4 24.9 24.2 34.3 35.5 32.2
Bad / Poor 15.8 13.2 12.8 8.7 8.8 14.1 15.6 9.1
Very bad       --     -- 6.8
I do not know -- -- -- -- -- 3.9 -- --
No answer / No opinion 11.3 10.1 11.8 6.0 5.7 1.7 5.1 3.5

In general, how would you rate the overall performance of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat? Would you say that his performance has been good, average, or bad? (Source: JMCC Poll, May 1997)

  Gaza Strip (6/95) Gaza Strip (10/95) Gaza Strip (8/96) Gaza Strip (11/96) Gaza Strip (4/97) Gaza Strip (5/97) Gaza Strip (7/97) Gaza Strip (3/99)
Very good                
Good / Well 61.4 55.8 72.3 82.1 78.3 67.1 59.5 51.1
Average / Fair 22.2 23.7 16.6 13.0 18.0 23.4 28.7 32.2
Bad / Poor 10.5 8.4 3.6 2.2 2.0 7.4 8.0 13.0
Very bad       --     -- 2.5
I do not know -- -- -- -- -- 1.6 -- --
No answer / No opinion 5.9 12.1 7.5 2.7 1.7 0.5 3.9 1.2

How would you describe President Yasser Arafat's performance as the head of the Palestinian Authority? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1995)

  Total Muslims Christians
Very good 15.7 16.5 9.8
Good 28.0 26.9 39.2
Average 28.2 28.5 29.4
Bad 11.7 10.4 17.6
Very bad 8.8 10.0 --
Don't Know -- -- --
No answer 7.6 7.7 3.9

Has your support of Yasser Arafat increased, decreased, not changed, or did you never support him? (Source: JMCC Poll)

  Total (6/95) Total (10/95) West Bank (6/95) West Bank (10/95) Gaza Strip (6/95) Gaza Strip (10/95)
My support increased 30.7 32.0 29.4 31.1 33.1 34.7
My support declined 13.2 10.4 13.3 12.5 13.1 4.9
My support did not change 28.8 33.2 26.6 34.3 32.9 30.3
I used to support, but I don't any more 2.8 -- 3.7 -- 1.2 --
I never supported him 18.1 16.8 19.8 16.0 15.0 18.8
No opinion 6.4 7.6 7.2 6.1 4.8 11.3

Do you support or oppose the way Yasser Arafat is handling his job as President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1997)

  Total (8/97) Total (11/97) West Bank (8/97) West Bank (11/97) Gaza Strip (8/97) Gaza Strip (11/97)
Strongly support 26.9 36.2 22.1   35.1  
Somewhat support 39.3 34.4 41.9   34.9  
Strongly oppose 11.7 7.1 12.6   10.3  
Somewhat oppose 17.6 14.2 18.5   15.9  
No opinion / do not know -- 5.3 -- 6.0 -- 4.2
No answer 4.5 2.8 4.9   3.8  

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Yassir Arafat is handling his job as President of the Palestinian Authority? Do you feel that way strongly or only somewhat? (Source: JMCC Poll)

 
Total  (4/01)
Total (6/01) Total (9/02) Total (10/03)
West Bank (4/01)
West Bank (6/01) West Bank (9/02) West Bank (10/03)
Gaza Strip (4/01)
Gaza Strip (6/01) Gaza Strip (9/02) Gaza Strip (10/03)
n= 1200
  n=1199 n=1198
n=760
  n=759 n=758
n=440
  n=440 n=440
Very satisfied
20.9
21.3 16.3 12.2
22.9
21.6 15.5 10.0
17.5 
20.9 17.5 15.9
Somewhat satisfied
36.8
34.7 34.6 35.0
36.4
36.8 37.2 36.4
37.3
31.1 30.2 32.5
Somewhat dissatisfied 
20.3
21.5 27.4 28.1
14.7
22.1 26.9 31.0
22.7
20.5 28.4 23.2
Very dissatisfied
17.7
17.4 14.9 20.5
20.8
13.1 11.5 17.7
19.5
25.0 20.9 25.5
No answer
4.3
5.1 6.8 4.2
5.2
6.5 8.9 4.9
3.0
2.5 3.0 2.9

There is a debate among international circles as to whether the Palestinian president is in control of the internal Palestinian situation, or whether he is in control up to a certain degree or whether he is not in control up to a certain degree, or whether he is not in control at all, What is your opinion? (Source: JMCC Poll)

  Total (6/2001)
Total  (9/2001)
Total (12/2001) Total (3/02) Total (9/02) Total (10/03)
  n=1201
n= 1198
n=1201      
The President Yasser Arafat is in control of the internal Palestinian situation 20.6
 21.6
16.2 20.6 12.8 12.3
The President Yasser Arafat is in control up to a certain degree 51.0
 45.7
41.0 44.7 39.4 46.4
The President Yasser Arafat is not in control up to a certain degree 18.6
 19.4
22.9 19.6 27.2 27.0
The President Yasser Arafat is not in control at all 7.2
 9.7
15.2 11.3 18.0 12.0
No answer  2.6
3.6 
4.7 3.8 2.6 2.3

After the passage of a year since the return of President Yasser Arafat and his assumption of leadership of autonomy, how do you evaluate him in the following areas: (Source: JMCC Poll, June 1995)

  PNA Administration Administration of negotiations with Israel Administration of Palestinian Economy Decision Making
Good 45.2 30.7 24.3 36.5
Average 30.2 33.0 31.7 26.7
Poor 12.0 26.0 30.0 22.5
No answer 12.6 10.3 14.0 14.3

What is your opinion on the way chairman Yasser Arafat manages the negotiations with Israel? (Source: JMCC Poll, January 1994)

a.)

  Total West Bank Gaza Strip
Very good 12.3 9.9 17.4
Good 31.3 30.1 33.8
Bad 44.0 45.5 40.8
No answer 12.4 14.5 8.0

b.

  Total West Bank Gaza Strip
Very effective 9.7 7.2 15.0
Effective 26.9 25.9 29.1
Not effective 49.3 51.1 45.3
No answer 14.1 15.7 10.6

c.

  Total West Bank Gaza Strip
Democratic 21.8 17.7 30.7
Undemocratic 21.1 21.2 20.9
Individualistic 47.5 50.7 40.4
No answer 9.6 10.4 8.0

If Palestinian political elections are held soon, do you think President Arafat should nominate himself? (Source: JMCC Poll, June 1995)

  Total West Bank Gaza Strip
Yes 67.8 64.5 73.9
No 20.6 22.9 16.6
No opinion 11.6 13.6 9.5

Do you believe President Arafat is a democratic or undemocratic person? (Source: JMCC Poll, June 1995)

  Total West Bank Gaza Strip
Yes, democratic 45.1 41.4 51.7
No, undemocratic 24.6 28.0 18.6
No, but he is justified in being undemocratic 11.7 10.4 14.1
Other 2.0 1.8 2.4
No opinion 16.6 18.4 13.3

President Arafat has been considered a symbol of the struggle and aspirations of the Palestinian people and Palestinian cause. What do you think today? (Source: JMCC Poll, June 1995)

  Total West Bank Gaza Strip
He was and still a symbol for the Palestinian people and cause 60.9 55.9 69.9
He is no longer a symbol for the Palestinian people and cause 22.5 25.8 16.6
Other 4.4 4.3 4.6
No opinion 12.2 14.0 8.9

If free democratic elections are held under these conditions, do you expect the Palestinian people to re-elect Yasser Arafat? (Source: JMCC Poll, December 2002)

 
Total (9/02)
Total  (12/02)
Total (10/03) West Bank (9/02)
West Bank (12/02)
West Bank (10/03) Gaza Strip (9/02)
Gaza Strip (12/02)
Gaza Strip (10/03)
n=1199
N=1200
n=1198 n=759
N=760
n=758 n=440
N=440
n=440
Yes 60.6
 56.3
59.8 60.2
 51.7
62.0 61.4
64.3
56.1
No 26.6
32.7
30.8 26.4
34.3
28.5 32.5
29.8
34.8
No answer 10.8
11.0
9.4 13.4
14.0
9.5 6.1
5.9
9.1

If free democratic elections took place in these conditions, would you elect Arafat as the President of the Palestinian people? (Source: JMCC Poll, December 2002)

 
Total 
West Bank
Gaza Strip
N=1200
N=760
N=440
Yes
46.8 
43.6
52.5 
No
43.0
43.7
41.8
No answer
10.2
12.7
5.7

Source: JMCC - Jerusalem Media & Communications Centre