Background By the end of the truce period that was announced between Israel and Hamas through Egyptian mediation, Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip that targeted animate and inanimate objects bequeathing huge destruction the results of which will continue for years to come. No sooner had the aggression against Gaza ceased, than the talk about rebuilding Gaza began; the rebuilding of Gaza became another point of controversy added to the letters of Palestinian internal split. The Palestinian split did not end with the destruction of Gaza despite talks about a Palestinian-Palestinian debate; split is susceptible to be intensified as the declarations made by some Palestinian officials indicate. The Palestinian question, thus, is totally driven into the maze of Arab and regional differences and the Palestinian decision making process is no longer purely and genuinely Palestinian. On the other side of the Gaza issue, several Arab and foreign countries are paying tremendous efforts to restore truce to the Gaza Strip based on new conditions. Hamas insists on opening Rafah crossing first to be followed be opening the other crossings. Israel rejects Hamas’ demands with reference to the crossings. Israel insists on freeing prisoner of war Gilad Shalit as a precondition to discuss the other issues though the Egyptian mediation.
The Results Following are the results of the Palestinian Public Opinion Poll no. 37 conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah National University during the period from 1-2 February 2009. The University sponsors all polls conducted by its Center. Palestinian Public Opinion Poll no. 37 undertakes the current political realities including the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and its consequences, aids allocated for the rebuilding of the Strip, attempts towards achieving a Palestinian national reconciliation, attempts to restore truce between Israel and Hamas, the possibility of sending Arab and international troops to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in addition to political affiliations and other issues.  The sample included 1361 persons whose age group is 18 and above and who have the right to vote. The enclosed questionnaire was distributed on 861 persons from the West Bank and 500 persons from the Gaza Strip. The sample was drawn randomly and the margin of error is about ±3%; still 4.1% of the members of the sample refused to answer the questionnaire.

Title

Opinion Polls and Survey Studies Unit, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine, 1-2 February

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Publisher Country

Palestine

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

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Year

2009

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