Armed Attacks, Palestinian-Jordanian Relations, Negotiations, Elections and Other Issues of Concern, August-September 1995
5. Future OutlookThe poll results show that 49.5% of respondents were optimistic about the future, while 28.8% said they were pessimistic. Almost as many people (21.7%) were not sure. Optimism decreases drastically with education: only 35% of BA holders said they were optimistic compared with 62% of the illiterate (see Table 11).
Table 11
Future Outlook by Education
Optimistic % Pessimistic % Not Sure % Illiterate 61.3 22.5 16.3 Up to 9 yrs. 57.8 26.1 16.0 Tawjihi 48.0 27.7 24.3 College 38.9 33.3 27.8 Bachelor 35.0 37.7 26.9 The majority of specialists were also pessimistic (see Table 12).
Table 12
Future Outlook by Occupation
Optimistic % Pessimistic % Not Sure % Students 35.4 35.7 28.9 Waged Labourers 45.1 35.0 19.9 Housewives 55.0 21.2 23.8 Employees 45.3 34.5 20.3 Merchants 54.5 26.9 18.5 Farmers 55.2 31.9 12.9 Craftsmen 53.2 31.1 15.7 Specialists 21.5 56.1 22.4 Unemployed 52.4 27.5 20.2 Retired 43.6 43.0 13.4
Continuation of Palestinian-Israeli negotiationsThough slightly higher in the Gaza Strip (73.1%), respondents from both the West Bank and Gaza strongly support the continuation of peace negotiations between the PLO and Israel. Opposition to the continuation of the negotiations increases among the youth, and the educated (see Tables 13 and 14).
Table 13
Support for Negotiations by Age
Yes % No % Not Sure % 18-22 yrs. 64.8 23.8 11.9 23-26 yrs. 63.2 23.1 11.7 27-30 yrs. 68.2 24.2 05.7 31-35 yrs. 72.8 13.7 10.8 36-42 yrs. 74.2 14.4 10.9 43-50 yrs. 76.1 14.8 11.6 51+ yrs. 78.7 08.3 09.8 Table 14
Support for Negotiations by Education
Yes No Not Sure Illiterate 73.8 15.0 11.3 Up to 9 yrs. 75.8 14.7 09.5 Tawjihi 68.6 20.6 10.8 College 69.2 20.7 10.1 Bachelor 63.8 25.0 11.2
7. Armed attacksThe poll results showed that 67.6% of Palestinians support armed attacks against Israeli army targets. Support for these attacks is widespread among students, the educated, and refugees. Regarding attacks against Israeli civilian targets, the majority of Palestinians (73.9%) are opposed. Support for these attacks decreases with age as about 11% of those 43 years or older are supportive. The percentage of support increases among students and B.A. holders. A total of 71.2% of residents of the West Bank support armed attacks against Israeli settlers, while fewer Gazans (65.8%) advocated such attacks (see Table 15).
Table 15
Support for Armed Attacks Against Israeli Targets by Education, Age, Gender, and Selected Occupations
Civilian Targets Military Targets Settler Targets Education Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Illiterate 22.5 72.5 05.0 66.3 22.5 11.3 65.8 27.8 06.3 Up to 9 yrs. 12.7 80.4 06.9 59.2 32.4 08.5 61.2 33.2 05.6 Tawjihi 21.5 70.2 08.3 70.8 21.5 07.7 74.2 19.7 06.2 College 15.2 77.8 07.1 72.7 18.7 08.6 73.7 20.7 05.6 Bachelor 23.6 65.6 10.8 76.8 13.1 10.0 74.2 15.0 10.8 Age Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion 18-22 yrs. 22.2 66.6 11.2 68.9 24.4 06.7 66.3 25.7 08.0 23-26 yrs. 26.3 67.7 06.0 73.8 19.5 06.6 75.2 19.5 05.4 27-30 yrs. 15.7 77.8 06.4 74.7 18.8 06.6 77.3 21.4 01.2 31-35 yrs. 17.2 71.6 11.1 64.9 21.0 14.1 70.1 21.9 08.0 36-42 yrs. 16.1 76.8 07.2 60.9 29.5 09.6 67.1 27.0 05.9 43-50 yrs. 10.6 84.1 05.2 60.0 28.4 11.6 63.5 28.8 07.7 51+ yrs. 11.0 86.3 02.7 65.5 26.4 08.1 63.9 28.3 07.8 Gender Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Male 17.2 75.7 07.2 65.5 25.8 08.6 72.0 21.9 06.1 Female 19.4 72.2 08.4 69.5 21.8 08.7 66.5 26.8 06.7 Selected Occupations Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Support Oppose No Opinion Students 29.6 58.2 12.1 79.3 11.4 09.3 75.4 15.0 09.6 Craftsmen 18.2 75.0 06.8 56.4 32.6 11.0 68.2 28.2 03.6 Housewives 17.5 74.1 08.4 66.5 24.0 09.6 64.0 28.9 07.1 Workers 19.1 74.3 06.7 69.4 20.0 10.6 78.1 15.3 06.6
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