Palestinian Public Opinion Polls: Attitudes About Peace With Israel
(2009 - 2010)
What are your anticipations of the success chances of the direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations? Will they succeed or fail in reaching an agreement of permanent peace? (PCPO, October 2010)
| Certainly they will succeed | 7.2% |
| They will succeed | 42.6% |
| They will fail | 31.6% |
| They will surely fail | 12.3% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 6.3% |
Do you expect the realization of a peace agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis next year? (PCPO, October 2010)
| Yes | 13.5% |
| Likely | 58.6% |
| No | 26.2% |
| Don't know | 1.7% |
Do you think the Israelis are concerned about making peace with the Palestinians? (PCPO, October 2010)
| Yes | 16.6% |
| To some extent | 46.7% |
| No | 34.8% |
| Don't know | 1.9% |
Are you more optimistic or pessimistic than in the past regarding the possibility of reaching a final solution accord between Israel and the Palestinians? (PCPO, October 2010)
| More optimistic than in the past | 21.7% |
| Same extent of optimist as in the past | 25.6% |
| Same extent of pessimism as in the past | 24.3% |
| More pessimistic than in the past | 25.9% |
| Don't know/No attitude | 2.5% |
In case all efforts fail to reach a settlement aiming at the revival of peace, which of the following is most likely to take place on the Palestinian side? (PCPO, October 2010)
Unilateral proclamation of a Palestinian state and escalation of the violent resistance | 31.3% |
Dissolution of the Palestinian Authority and putting the world before the responsibilities for the resulting jurisdiction vacuumand the steering of the resistance by the Palestinian factions | 34.3% |
Keep the status quo, i.e. the Palestinian Authority, beside developing new strategies to conduct Palestinian affairs | 29.7% |
Don't know | 4.7% |
The Israeli temporary settlement freeze in the West Bank has expired and settlers have now returned to building more homes. Under these conditions, in your opinion, should or should not, the Palestinians withdraw from the direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations that started one month ago? (Truman/PCPSR, October 2010)
| Certainly should not withdraw | 5.3% |
| Should not withdraw | 24.6% |
| Should withdraw | 37.5% |
| Certainly should withdraw | 28.1% |
| DK/NA | 4.3% |
Which side is in greater need of success in the direct negotiations - the Palestinians or the Israelis? (Truman/PCPSR, October 2010)
| Palestinians | 63.5% |
| Both sides are of equal need for success | 19.7% |
| Israel | 13.9% |
| DK/NA | 2.9% |
In your opinion, what are the chances that the negotiations will succeed, if continued, and will yield an agreement? (Truman/PCPSR, October 2010)
| Very high chances | 1.2% |
| High chances | 4.8% |
| Medium chances | 29.4% |
| Low chances | 35.0% |
| Very low chances | 27.7% |
| DK/NA | 1.9% |
If Palestinians pull out of the current talks or if peace negotiations fail, would you in this case support or oppose the following options in the search for achieving Palestinian rights? (Truman/PCPSR, October 2010)
Going to the UN Security Council to obtain recognition of a Palestinian state.
Support Oppose DK/NA Unilaterally declare the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Support Oppose DK/NA Abandon the two-state solution and demand the establishment of one state for Palestinians and Israelis.
Support Oppose DK/NA Resort to popular non-violent and unarmed resistance.
Support Oppose DK/NA Return to armed intifada and confrontations.
Support Oppose DK/NA Dissolve the Palestinian Authority.
Support Oppose DK/NA
Now, over 40 years after the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, what in your view are the chances for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state next to the state of Israel in the next five years? (Truman/PCPSR, October 2010)
| Non-existent | 25.0% |
| Low | 41.8% |
| Medium | 28.2% |
| High | 3.3% |
| DK/NA | 1.8% |
In your opinion is it possible or impossible to reach these days a final status settlement with Israel? (Truman/PCPSR, October 2010)
| Possible | 27.1% |
| Impossible | 71.1% |
| DK/NA | 1.8% |
According to the Saudi plan, Israel will retreat from all territories occupied in 1967 including Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and a Palestinian state will be established. The refugees problem will be resolved through negotiations in a just and agreed-upon manner and in accordance with UN resolution 194 which allows return of refugees to Israel and compensation. In return, all Arab states will recognize Israel and its right to secure borders, will sign peace treaties with her and establish normal diplomatic relations. Do you support or oppose this plan? (Truman Institute/PCPSR)
June 2009 | August 2009 | December 2009 | October 2010 | |
| Support | 57% | 64% | 68% | 57.3% |
| Oppose | 40% | 34% | 30% | 38.4% |
There is a proposal that after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the settlement of all issues in dispute, including the refugees and Jerusalem issues, there will be a mutual recognition of Israel as the Jewish state and Palestine as the state of the Palestinian people. Do you agree or disagree with this proposal? (Truman Institute/PCPSR, October 2010)
| Agree | 49.2% |
| Disagree | 48.3% |
| DK/NA | 2.5% |
Do you support or oppose the PA's engagement in direct talks with the Israeli Government? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| Support | 56.7% |
| Oppose | 38.4% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 4.8% |
Do you expect failure or success of the direct talks between the PA and the Israeli Government? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| Success | 23.1% |
| Failure | 67.9% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 9.0% |
Follow up: If you expect that the direct talks will fail, who do you think will be the party responsible from the failure?
| The Palestinian Authority | 10.5% |
| The Israeli Government | 63.3% |
| The United States | 20.9% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 5.2% |
Do you support or oppose conducting talks between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government if Israel continues building settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| Support | 15.0% |
| Oppose | 81.9% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 3.2% |
Do you accept the creation of a Palestinian state on the area of the 1967 borders as a final solution for the Palestinian problem? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| Yes | 52.2% |
| No | 43.6% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 3.8% |
Do you accept the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with some land exchange as a final solution for the Palestinian problem? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| Yes | 32.9% |
| No | 62.9% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 4.2% |
What form do you envision the final solution of the Palestinian problem will take? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| A comprehensive solution | 66.4% |
| A piecemeal solution (on stages) | 28.4% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 5.2% |
Do you support or oppose making Jerusalem a capital for two states: Palestine and Israel? (An-Najah, September 2010)
| Support | 19.4% |
| Oppose | 78.0% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 2.6% |
With regards to responsibility for the lack of progress in the peace process, please indicate what issues you consider to be very significant, of some significance, of little significance, or no significance or I don't know. (AWRAD, August 2010)
Very Significant | Of Some Significance | Of Little Significance | Of No Significance | I don't know | |
The United States because of their lack of commitment to a Palestinian state | 69.4% | 14.1% | 9.2% | 5.0% | 2.3% |
The Israeli people because they are not ready to make peace | 69.3% | 16.2% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 1.9% |
The Palestinian people because they are divided by the political differences of Hamas and Fateh | 68.4% | 14.7% | 5.7% | 9.4% | 1.8% |
Arab governments because they are divided on the future of Palestine | 62.8% | 19.2% | 9.7% | 6.2% | 2.1% |
The United Nations because of failure to implement its resolutions | 61.5% | 18.0% | 10.9% | 6.9% | 2.7% |
The Quartet because it is ineffective | 58.6% | 19.1% | 11.0% | 6.6% | 4.8% |
The Israeli public because of their refusal to accept 1967 borders | 57.4% | 21.0% | 10.9% | 6.7% | 4.0% |
The Palestinian government because they are too weak to compromise | 51.4% | 20.9% | 12.7% | 11.2% | 3.7% |
The Israeli government because they are too weak to compromise | 22.2% | 13.3% | 16.3% | 39.6% | 8.6% |
With regards to the peace process and reaching a final status agreement, which issues do you consider to be very significant, of some significance, of little significance, or no significance or I don't know? (AWRAD, August 2010)
Very Significant | Of Some Significance | Of Little Significance | Of No Significance | I don't know | |
Establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state | 91.7% | 5.9% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.5% |
The status of Jerusalem | 91.0% | 6.5% | 1.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
Security for Palestine | 86.2% | 10.4% | 2.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
The rights of refugees | 83.2% | 10.7% | 4.5% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
Settlements in the Occupied Territories | 81.3% | 12.8% | 4.3% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
Agreeing to borders for Palestine | 80.2% | 14.0% | 3.4% | 1.7% | 0.7% |
Rights to natural resources (water and air) | 79.7% | 12.6% | 6.1% | 1.0% | 0.6% |
The management of holy sites | 79.2% | 16.0% | 3.5% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
Peace between Israel and the Arab World | 45.7% | 16.6% | 15.3% | 18.7% | 3.7% |
With regards to rebuilding confidence in the peace process, please indicate which of the following options you consider to be essential, desirable, acceptable, tolerable or unacceptable. (AWRAD, August 2010)
Essential | Desirable | Acceptable | Tolerable | Unacceptable | |
Israel should remove all check points | 88.0% | 9.1% | 1.8% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
Israel should demolish the wall | 87.7% | 7.7% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
Israel should freeze settlements in the West Bank | 86.5% | 9.1% | 2.1% | 0.8% | 1.5% |
Israel and Egypt should lift the siege of Gaza | 79.6% | 11.6% | 4.1% | 3.0% | 1.7% |
Israel should release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit | 71.5% | 14.4% | 6.5% | 3.5% | 4.0% |
The Obama Administration should place a high priority on Middle East peace | 65.0% | 21.2% | 6.3% | 2.8% | 4.7% |
The EU and U.S. should work with Egypt to end conflict between Hamas and Fateh | 47.8% | 28.7% | 10.7% | 5.2% | 7.5% |
The Arab League should keep pushing for the Arab Peace Initiative | 45.1% | 25.5% | 15.0% | 7.6% | 6.8% |
Resist occupation through violence to achieve a state | 36.7% | 18.7% | 16.8% | 14.0% | 13.7% |
Achieve a state through negotiations | 31.4% | 24.3% | 17.2% | 12.5% | 14.5% |
If there is no agreement, have an internationally supervised truce for 5 years | 26.9% | 21.2% | 19.0% | 15.3% | 17.6% |
Resist occupation through non-violent civil disobedience to achieve a state | 26.9% | 22.2% | 17.8% | 11.1% | 21.9% |
Armed groups should stop firing rockets from Gaza | 25.9% | 17.3% | 15.7% | 12.7% | 28.4% |
Palestinians should continue a unilateral ceasefire to put pressure on Israel | 19.3% | 16.6% | 14.5% | 12.7% | 36.9% |
Hamas should recognize Israel if Israel agrees to withdraw from the Occupied Territories | 16.5% | 13.8% | 16.2% | 17.0% | 36.5% |
Israel should be allowed to build the wall on the 1967 border | 9.5% | 6.2% | 7.4% | 12.7% | 64.2% |
Do you support direct talks between Israel and the PA? (AWRAD, July 2010)
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
| Yes | 47.6% | 51.0% | 41.9% |
| No | 46.6% | 40.8% | 56.1% |
| Don't know | 5.9% | 8.2% | 2.0% |
The truce agreement between Hamas and Israel will expire in September 2010, do you think that Hamas should: (AWRAD, July 2010)
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
| Renew the agreement | 66.1% | 65.4% | 67.3% |
| Allow the agreement to expire without renewal | 25.7% | 24.2% | 28.3% |
| Don't know | 8.2% | 10.4% | 4.5% |
After the expiration of the truce agreement, do you believe that Hamas and other groups in Gaza should return to the use of missiles against targets in Israel? (AWRAD, July 2010)
Total | West Bank | Gaza Strip | |
| Yes | 25.5% | 19.5% | 35.4% |
| No | 67.6% | 70.8% | 62.4% |
| Don't know | 6.9% | 9.7% | 2.2% |
Do you anticipate that the indirect Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will succeed or fail in reaching an agreement of permanent peace? (PCPO, July 2010)
| Certainly, they will succeed | 1.5% |
| They will succeed | 36.6% |
| They will fail | 41.1% |
| They will surely fail | 11.4% |
| No opinion/Don't know | 9.4% |
Do you expect the realization of a peace agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis next year? (PCPO, July 2010)
| Yes | 4.4% |
| Likely | 47.2% |
| No | 45.8% |
| Don't know | 2.5% |
Do you think the Israelis are concerned about making peace with the Palestinians? (PCPO, July 2010)
| Yes | 10.9% |
| To some extent | 32.3% |
| No | 53.3% |
| Don't know | 3.6% |
Assuming the negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis would fail, do you expect the outbreak of a third Intifada? (PCPO, July 2010)
| Yes | 31.9% |
| No | 50.7% |
| Don't know | 17.3% |
Do you think that the Palestinians must renounce their right of home return, which Israel will never accept, in exchange for having an independent Palestinian state and the conclusion of a peace deal with Israel? (PCPO, July 2010)
| Yes, the Palestinians must do that | 14.0% |
| No, they shouldn't do that even if the price would be the non-conclusion of a peace deal with Israel | 81.7% |
| I have no opinion | 4.3% |
If the Palestinian leadership would waive the right of home return in exchange for financial compensation, would you accept or refuse that? (PCPO, July 2010)
| I would accept that | 13.1% |
| I would refuse that | 81.8% |
| Don't know | 5.1% |
Do you support or oppose the signing of a peace treaty with Israel? (WAFA-PLO News Agency, April 2010)
| Support | 63% |
| Oppose | 37% |
Do you think Hamas should change its position calling for the elimination of Israel? (WAFA-PLO News Agency, April 2010)
| Change its position | 68% |
| Uphold its position | 32% |
Do you support or oppose the peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis? (PCPO, March 2010)
| Support | 58.0% |
| Oppose | 34.1% |
| I don't know | 7.9% |
Do you support or oppose the outbreak of a third Intifada? (PCPO, March 2010)
| In favor of | 22.8% |
| Opposed to | 72.2% |
| Refuse to answer | 5.0% |
What is your attitude regarding the re-firing of Al-Qassam rockets from Gaza at Israel? (PCPO, March 2010)
| In favor of | 29.1% |
| Opposed to | 62.2% |
| I don't know | 8.9% |
According to your opinion, if Israel would agree to freeze the settlement activity for four months in East Jerusalem in order to resume the indirect talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, would you support or oppose that? (PCPO, March 2010)
| Support | 60.8% |
| Oppose | 29.5% |
| I don't know | 9.7% |
Do you that chances for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State next to the State of Israel in the next five years are 'non-existent or low' or 'medium or high'? (Truman Research Institute/PCPSR)
March 2009 | December 2009 | |
| Non-existent or low | 73% | 68% |
| Medium or high | 24% | 31% |
Do you currently think it is possible for Israel and the Palestinians to reach a final status settlement? (Truman Institute/PCPSR, December 2009)
| Possible | 32% |
| Impossible | 67% |
Which of the following is the best solution to the conflict? (Truman Institute/PCPSR, December 2009)
| Two-state solution: the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel | 64% |
| One state shared by Palestinians and Israelis in all the area west of the Jordan River | 20% |
Do you support or oppose the proposal that after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the settlement of all issues in dispute, including the refugees and Jerusalem issues, there will be a mutual recognition of Israel as a state of the Jewish people and Palestine as the state of the Palestinian people? (Truman Research Institute/PCPSR)
August 2009 | December 2009 | |
| Support | 49% | 53% |
| Oppose | 49% | 46% |
Do you accept or reject yielding to American pressure to accept and implement the Arab (Saudi) Peace Initiative? (Truman Institute/PCPSR)
December 2008 | August 2009 | |
| Accept | 56% | 58% |
| Reject | 39% | 39% |
Follow up: What do you believe the other side's response to such pressure would be? (Truman Institute/PCPSR)
December 2008 | August 2009 | |
| Israel will accept such pressure | 49% | 46% |
| Israel will reject such pressure | 43% | 49% |
Do you think that the policy of US President Obama will increase or reduce the chances of reaching a just peace between the Palestinians and Israelis? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, June 2009)
Total | West Bank | Gaza | |
| It will increase the chances | 35.4% | 36.3% | 33.9% |
| It will reduce the chances | 11.5% | 12.1% | 10.5% |
| It won't make any difference | 49.1% | 46.8% | 53.1% |
| Don't know | 3.2% | 3.9% | 1.8% |
| No answer | 0.8% | 0.9% | 0.7% |
Do you think that the presence of the Likud Government headed by Netanyahu has a positive or a negative impact on the chances of achieving peace with the Arabs and Palestinians? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, June 2009)
Total | West Bank | Gaza | |
| It has a positive impact | 7.6% | 7.9% | 7.1% |
| It has a negative impact | 61.1% | 62.2% | 59.2% |
| It has no impact whatsoever | 31.1% | 29.6% | 33.7% |
| No answer | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
To what extent do you support the Arab Peace Initiative? (Jerusalem Media & Communications Center, June 2009)
Total | West Bank | Gaza | |
| Strongly support | 18.1% | 17.4% | 19.4% |
| Somewhat support | 51.3% | 52.8% | 48.7% |
| Somewhat oppose | 16.6% | 14.1% | 21.0% |
| Strongly oppose | 9.8% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Don't know | 3.7% | 5.0% | 1.3% |
| No answer | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
On final status options for Israel and Palestine (OneVoice Movement, April 22, 2009)
Essential | Desirable | Acceptable | Tolerable | Unacceptable | |
| 1. Historic Palestine - From the Jordanian river to the sea as an Islamic Waqf | 59% | 12% | 7% | 5% | 12% |
| 2. Historic Palestine - From the Jordanian river to the sea | 71% | 11% | 5% | 3% | 7% |
| 3. One joint state - A state in which Israelis and Palestinians are equal citizens | 18% | 13% | 10% | 12% | 43% |
| 4. One shared state - Bi-national federal state in which Israelis and Palestinians share power | 8% | 7% | 7% | 12% | 59% |
| 5. Two state solution - Two states for two peoples: Israel and Palestine | 38% | 15% | 10% | 11% | 24% |
| 6. Political status quo with economic development of Palestinian/the West Bank/Gaza (territories) | 32% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 40% |
| 7. Confederation between West Bank and Jordan and between Gaza and Egypt | 12% | 7% | 7% | 5% | 65% |
Do you expect that negotiations with the new government will be more successful in ending settlement expansion and bringing peace or do you expect settlements to continue to expand and peace efforts to fail? (Truman Research Institute/PCPSR, March 1-7, 2009)
| Negotiations will be more successful in ending settlement expansion and bringing peace | 7% |
| Settlements will continue to expand and peace efforts will fail | 62% |
Do you support or oppose return to Palestinian-Israeli final status negotiations before an Israeli freeze on settlement activity? (Truman Research Institute/PCPSR, March 1-7, 2009)
| Support | 38% |
| Oppose | 58% |
Do you support or oppose the renewal of the cease fire in Gaza? (Truman Research Institute/PCPSR, March 1-7, 2009)
| Support | 75% |
| Oppose | 23% |
What is your attitude towards peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis? (Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, January 25-31, 2009)
| Strongly favor | 20.6% |
| Somewhat favor | 53.6% |
| Somewhat oppose | 11.5% |
| Strongly oppose | 12.7% |
| I don't know | 2.2% |
What is your attitude towards a Palestinian-Israeli cease-fire at present? (Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, January 25-31, 2009)
| Strongly favor | 49.3% |
| Somewhat favor | 38.9% |
| Somewhat oppose | 5.8% |
| Strongly oppose | 4.0% |
| I don't know | 1.9% |
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