CPRS Polls - Survey Research Unit
Public Opinion Poll #21
Elections, Redeployment, Peace Process after Assassination of Rabin
December 7-10, 1995
VIII. New Parties

There was very little support for the newly established parties. About 97% of those polled said they were not supportive of the new groups because they knew nothing about the parties.

IX. Election of PNA

President A majority of 68.5% said that they will vote for Arafat, while 7.4% declared support for Hayder Abdul Shafi; 24% declared they would vote for another candidate or no one (options for this question have been amended; Ahmed Yassin and George Habash were omitted because their candidacy is unlikely to continue).

X. Problems Facing Society

According to 47% of Palestinians, the most important problem facing Palestinian society today is unemployment. The abandonment of religion is the next serious problem, as voiced by 24%, followed by poverty (10%) and the oppression of freedom (8%). Suppression of freedom is especially a concern among Bethlehem and Jerusalem residents, while the abandonment of religion is of most concern to respondents from Hebron. Apprehension of the problem of crime is felt most acutely by older Palestinians.

XI. Peace Process

A majority of 52% of Palestinians believe that the peace process will move forward despite the assassination of Rabin. A smaller percentage (34%) believe that the peace process won't be affected; only 4.2% anticipate the process will worsen.

XII. Feelings Given the Extension of Palestinian Authority

With the redeployment of Israeli troops from some towns and the extension of PNA jurisdiction, 60% of those polled said that they feel secure. In comparison, 12% declared that they feel worried, while 24.2% feel in between. Anxiety about the new situation is highest among Hebron and Jerusalem residents (see Table 11).

Table 11
Feelings after Redeployment by Place of Interview
Secure
Worried
So/So
Don t Know
Nablus
61.5
10.0
24.6
03.8
Tulkarm
60.9
12.7
22.7
03.6
Jenin
63.8
03.8
31.3
01.3
Ramallah
51.2
15.0
28.3
05.5
Hebron
44.4
22.2
31.6
01.7
Bethlehem
45.7
11.4
34.3
08.6
Jerusalem
45.0
21.3
20.0
13.8
Gaza N.
72.3
09.2
16.9
01.5
Gaza City
74.5
08.1
15.5
01.9
Gaza M.
60.0
11.9
25.9
02.2
Gaza S.
70.0
05.7
20.0
04.3
N- north, M- midde, S-south

In addition, more anxiety was expressed by younger respondents than by older respondents (see Table 12).

Table 12
Feelings after Redeployment by Age
Secure
Worried
So/So
Don t Know
18-22
51.6
17.9
25.0
05.4
23-26
51.0
15.0
29.4
04.6
27-30
49.7
15.2
32.5
02.6
31-35
58.2
12.0
24.7
05.1
36-42
61.7
11.5
23.0
03.8
43-50
73.1
03.8
19.2
03.8
51 and over
70.9
08.3
17.5
03.4

II. Unemployment

Over all, unemployment remained the same at 29% although it increased 8 % in refugee camps (see Table 13)

Table 13
Unemployment Demographics
Dec. 1994
Feb. 1995
Mar. 1995
May 1995
July 1995
Dec. 1995
Total
30.0
51.0
38.0
36.0
29.0
29.0
Region
West Bank
22.0
48.0
35.0
27.0
27.0
25.0
Gaza Strip
44.0
51.0
28.8
33.0
25.0
37.0
Place
City
20.0
43.0
25.0
27.0
23.0
26.0
Village/Town
36.0
56.0
44.1
30.0
35.0
25.0
Camp
39.0
58.0
49.7
40.0
32.0
40.0
Gender
Male
29.0
49.0
36.1
30.0
27.0
23.0
Female
37.0
60.0
50.8
42.0
37.0
49.0
Refugee Status
Refugee
37.0
56.0
43.4
37.0
29.0
33.0
Non-Refugee
25.0
47.0
35.2
27.0
37.0
26.0
Education
Up to Primary
37.0
60.0
45.2
33.0
31.0
27.0
Secondary
34.0
53.0
42.9
36.0
36.0
34.0
2 yr. College
24.0
43.0
34.6
12.0
24.0
35.0
Univ. Degrees
22.0
32.0
23.9
27.0
18.0
15.0
Marital Status
Single
45.0
30.8
38.0
40.0
29.0
Married
53.0
35.6
39.0
26.0
29.0
Age
18-30
42.0
54.0
46.7
41.0
38.0
31.7
31-43
25.0
54.0
35.9
24.0
25.0
30.5
44-64
20.0
58.0
26.1
25.0
20.0
24.0

Appendix
                                		Total West Bank Gaza
In the election, will you:

A. Vote for qualified candidates supporting the current peace process?


a)Yes						84.7%	83.1%	87.4%
b)No						10.9%	12.4%	08.4%
c)Don'tKnow					04.4%	04.5%	04.2%




B. Vote for qualified candidates opposed to the current peace process?


a)Yes						18.8%	18.9%	18.6%
b)No					     	75.5%	75.1%	76.1%
c)Don't Know					05.8%	06.0%	05.3%




C. Vote for qualified candidates regardless of political positions?


a)Yes						56.8%	55.4%	59.2%
b)No						35.4%	36.1%	34.1%
c)Don't Know					07.8%	08.4%	06.7%




D. Vote for candidates for other considerations?


a)Yes						27.1%	31.6%	19.8%
b)No						64.8%	59.9%	72.8%
c)Don't Know					08.1%	08.5%	07.4%




2. According to your information, the Palestinian Electoral Law:
A. Allows a voter to authorize someone to vote in his/her place.


a)Yes						14.8%	17.0%	11.1%
b)No*						65.6%	62.8%	70.3%
c)Don't Know					19.6%	20.2%	18.6%




B. Allows the election of candidates from various party lists.


a)Yes*						49.2%	48.8%	49.8%

b)No						31.8%	31.4%	32.3%
c)Don't Know					19.1%	19.7%	17.9%




C. Allows the election of candidates from one party list only.


a)Yes						18.8%	18.9%	18.6%
b)No*						75.5%	75.1%	76.1%
c)Don't Know					05.8%	06.0%	05.3%




D. Permits only a relative to accompany an illiterate voter.


a)Yes						54.5%	58.8%	47.2%
b)No*						30.0%	26.8%	35.6%
c)Don't Know					15.5%	14.4%	17.2%




E. Allows a voter for only one person from among all the candidates.


a)Yes						44.4%	46.3%	41.2%
b)No*						33.7%	31.7%	37.2%
c)Don't Know					21.9%	22.0%	21.6%
* correct answer as stipulated by the Electoral Law. 
3. I will vote for candidates from:
a)One party list only				22.7%	23.6%	21.2%
b)Various party lists				23.9%	22.9%	25.6%
c)Depends on individual				43.4%	43.3%	43.5%
candidates.
d)Others, specify				04.1%	04.8%	03.3%
e)Don't Know					05.9%	05.4%	06.7%

4. If the opposition calls for a boycott of the elections, I will:
a)Boycott the elections				13.8%	17.3%	07.9%
b)Participate in the elections			71.3%	69.0%	75.2%
c)Not sure					14.9%	13.7%	16.9%

5. Will you vote for at least one woman?
a)Yes						67.2%	69.3%	63.6%
b)No						25.4%	25.0%	26.0%
c)Not sure					07.5%	05.7%	10.4%

6. After Rabin's assassination, I feel the peace process will:
a)Move forward					51.5%	51.2%	52.1%
b)Go backward					04.2%	05.6%	01.9%
c)Not be affected				34.0%	33.6%	34.8%
d)Don't Know					10.2%	09.7%	11.2%

7. With the redeployment of Israeli forces, and return of the PA I feel:
a)Secure					59.6%	54.1%	68.9%
b)Worried					12.1%	13.9%	09.0%
c)"So-So"*					24.2%	26.8%	19.7%
d)Don't Know					04.1%	05.2%	02.3%
* somewhere between a and b. 
8. If the following nominate themselves for the position of president of the 
executive authority, I will vote for:
a)Haider Abdel Shafi				07.4%	08.1%	06.3%
b)Yassir Arafat					68.5%	63.2%	77.4%
c)Others					10.3%	13.0%	05.6%
d)No One					13.8%	15.6%	10.7%

9. If general elections were held today, and you decided to vote, you would 
vote for candidates affiliated with:
a)Hamas						09.7%	10.3%	08.6%
b)PPP						01.8%	02.1%	01.4%
c)PFLP						03.8%	03.2%	04.8%
d)Fateh						55.3%	51.7%	61.4%
e)Fida						00.4%	00.7%	-----
f)Islamic Jihad					02.0%	01.7%	02.6%
g)DFLP						01.5%	02.0%	00.7%
h)Islamic Independents				03.6%	04.9%	01.4%
i)National Independents				03.2%	03.6%	02.4%
j)Others					04.8%	05.9%	03.1%
k)No One					13.8%	14.0%	13.6%

10. Do you support any of the newly established parties?
a)Yes						03.5%	02.7%	04.7%
b)No						54.7%	50.7%	61.5%
c)Don't Know					41.8%	46.6%	33.8%

11. Which of the following factors is the most important in selecting 

your candidate (one only)?
a)Political Affiliation				18.9%	18.5%	19.6%
b)Family relationship
(to candidate)					03.4%	04.1%	02.3%
c)Academic Attainment				22.1%	21.0%	23.8%
d)Religiosity					20.4%	23.0%	16.1%
e)Participation in struggle			26.6%	24.3%	30.5%
f)Others					08.6%	09.1%	07.7%

12. Do you think that the elected council will have an important role in 
guiding the country in the right direction?
a)Yes						70.4%	69.5%	71.9%
b)No						07.8%	08.9%	06.0%
c)Not sure					21.8%	21.6%	22.1%

13. In your opinion, the most important problem facing Palestinian society 
today is (one only):
a)Unemployment					46.7%	38.6%	60.2%
b)Crime						03.5%	04.9%	01.2%
c)Poverty					09.9%	07.8%	13.3%
d)Abandoning religion				24.4%	29.4%	16.0%
e)Political violence				04.5%	06.1%	01.9%
f)Suppression of free speech			07.6%	08.8%	05.6%
g)Others					03.4%	04.3%	01.9%

14. Do you trust that the election process will be free, fair, and 
beneficial to society?
a)Yes						68.0%	68.7%	66.8%
b)No 						13.2%	15.0%	10.2%
c)Don't Know					18.8%	16.3%	23.0%

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