Palestinian Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes Toward Yasser Arafat
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 (6/01) | Total (9/02) | Total (10/03) | West Bank (6/01) | West Bank (9/02) | West Bank (10/03) | Gaza Strip (6/01) | Gaza Strip (9/02) | Gaza Strip (10/03) | ||||
n=1199 | n=1198 | n=759 | n=758 | n=440 | n=440 | |||||||
Very satisfied | 21.3 | 16.3 | 12.2 | 21.6 | 15.5 | 10.0 | 20.9 | 17.5 | 15.9 | |||
Somewhat satisfied | 34.7 | 34.6 | 35.0 | 36.8 | 37.2 | 36.4 | 31.1 | 30.2 | 32.5 | |||
Somewhat dissatisfied | 21.5 | 27.4 | 28.1 | 22.1 | 26.9 | 31.0 | 20.5 | 28.4 | 23.2 | |||
Very dissatisfied | 17.4 | 14.9 | 20.5 | 13.1 | 11.5 | 17.7 | 25.0 | 20.9 | 25.5 | |||
No answer | 5.1 | 6.8 | 4.2 | 6.5 | 8.9 | 4.9 | 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 (12/2001) | Total (3/02) | Total (9/02) | Total (10/03) | ||
n=1201 | n=1201 | |||||
The President Yasser Arafat is in control of the internal Palestinian situation | 20.6 | 16.2 | 20.6 | 12.8 | 12.3 | |
The President Yasser Arafat is in control up to a certain degree | 51.0 | 41.0 | 44.7 | 39.4 | 46.4 | |
The President Yasser Arafat is not in control up to a certain degree | 18.6 | 22.9 | 19.6 | 27.2 | 27.0 | |
The President Yasser Arafat is not in control at all | 7.2 | 15.2 | 11.3 | 18.0 | 12.0 | |
No answer | 2.6 | 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 (10/03) | West Bank (9/02) | West Bank (10/03) | Gaza Strip (9/02) | Gaza Strip (10/03) | ||||
n=1199 | n=1198 | n=759 | n=758 | n=440 | n=440 | ||||
Yes | 60.6 | 59.8 | 60.2 | 62.0 | 61.4 | 56.1 | |||
No | 26.6 | 30.8 | 26.4 | 28.5 | 32.5 | 34.8 | |||
No answer | 10.8 | 9.4 | 13.4 | 9.5 | 6.1 | 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)
Yes | |||
No | |||
No answer |
Source: JMCC - Jerusalem Media & Communications Centre