Background Peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis resumed
last July under American auspices, after for a hiatus of nearly three years.
Both sides agreed that the negotiations be held inside Israel and the
Palestinian Territories. US Secretary of State John Kerry asserted that the
negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis would be secret and that
any announced results must be only through him. Kerry also asserted the
commitment of the US administration to follow up with negotiations until an agreement
is reached within a period of six to nine months. After the resignation of Dr. Salam Fayyad’s
government, Prof. Rami Hamdallah was entrusted twice with forming new
Palestinian governments. Divisions
between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip still persist while each side adheres
to its convictions, and there are no signs that the division will end.
The Results Following
are the results of Palestinian Public Opinion Poll No. 47, conducted by the
Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah National University
during the period from 1-3 November 2013. The University sponsors all polls
conducted by its Center. This poll undertakes Palestinian public opinion on the new
political realities on the Palestinian ground, including the
Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, Prof. Rami Hamdallah’s government, and the
possibility of conducting presidential, legislative and local council
elections, in addition to the political affiliations of Palestinian people. The sample included 1360 people whose age
group is 18 and above and who have the right to vote. The enclosed
questionnaire was distributed to 860 people from the West Bank and 500 people
from the Gaza Strip. The sample was drawn randomly and the margin of error is
about ±3%; still, 1.76% of the members of the sample refused to answer the
questionnaire.