The following data come from a poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) on 8–10 December 2016. The results are based on a survey of 1,270 men and women from the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The complete poll, the 62d in a series, can be found at www.pcpsr.org.
1. If new presidential elections were to take place today, and [PA pres.] Abbas was nominated by Fatah and Ismail Haniyeh was nominated by Hamas, whom would you vote for?
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
1) Mahmoud Abbas | 45.0% | 45.2% | 44.8% |
2) Ismail Haniyeh | 48.6% | 46.8% | 51.0% |
3) Don’t know/Not applicable | 6.4% | 8.0% | 4.2% |
2. And what if the competition were between Marwan Barghouti, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mahmoud Abbas, for whom would you vote?
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
1) Marwan Barghouti | 39.2% | 44.1% | 32.0% |
2) Ismail Haniyeh | 33.2% | 29.1% | 39.2% |
3) Mahmoud Abbas | 24.3% | 22.4% | 27.1% |
3) Don’t know/Not applicable | 3.4% | 4.5% | 1.7% |
3. Fatah has held its Seventh [General Congress] and elected a new leadership. Do you have faith in the ability of the new leadership to achieve the goals entrusted to it?
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
1) Yes | 32.9% | 33.4% | 32.1% |
2) No | 53.8% | 51.1% | 58.3% |
3) Don’t know/Not applicable | 13.3% | 15.5% | 9.6% |
4. What do you expect the new U.S. pres., Donald Trump and his admin., to do about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
1) Do nothing | 30.4% | 32.0% | 27.6% |
2) Renew peace negotiations | 10.1% | 5.6% | 17.6% |
3) Impose a solution on both sides | 7.6% | 4.1% | 13.4% |
4) Stand with the Israeli side against the other | 47.1% | 53.5% | 36.5% |
5) Don’t know/ Not applicable | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.9% |
5. And what do you want Pres. Trump to do? Do you want him to play a stronger role, or do you want the U.S. not to interfere in the peace process?
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
1) I want a stronger Trump role in the peace process | 29.6% | 28.2% | 32.0% |
2) I want Trump to play the role the U.S. currently plays in the peace process | 9.7% | 7.1% | 14.0% |
3) I want Trump not to interfere in the peace process | 53.4% | 59.0% | 44.1% |
4) Don’t know/ Not applicable | 7.3% | 5.7% | 9.9% |