These are the results of opinion poll #31, conducted by the Center for Palestine Research & Studies, between 22-30 December 1997. The poll deals with evaluation of the performance of PLC and other PNA institutions, attitudes regarding proposed legislation, and political affiliation.

The total sample size of this poll is 1320 from Palestinians 18 years and older, of which 831 in the West Bank and 489 in the Gaza Strip. The margin of error is + 3% and the non-response rate is 3%.

• Main Results
Evaluation of the Performance of the PLC and the PNA
Attitudes Regarding Proposed Legislation
Political Affiliation
Appendix

1. Evaluation of the Performance of the PLC and the PNA

• The findings show a rise in the level of positive (very good and good) evaluation of the PLC performance from 42% in September 1997 to 51% in December 1997. A limited rise in the positive evaluation of the performance of the government, the judicial authority, security and police force has also taken place from 56%, 49%, and 68%, to 61%, 53%, and 72% respectively). A slight decrease in the positive evaluation of the Presidency from 73% to 71% has taken place during the same period.
• Positive evaluation of the performance of the PLC is specially high among women, those with primary education, housewives, those with limited income of less than JD300 monthly, and supporters of Fateh. It is significantly lower among men, those with BA degrees, professionals, those with high income of more than JD900 per month, and supporters of Hamas and the PFLP. See table (1) below.

Table (1)
Positive Evaluation of the Performance of the PLC

Gender	Women	60%	Men	40%
Education	Primary	60%	BA degrees	41%
Profession	Housewives	59%	Professionals	25%
Income	Low	52%	High	35%
Political affiliation	Fateh Supporters	64%	PFLP Supporters	29%

• Evaluation of the performance of the representatives of each electoral district show a high level of positive evaluation for the performance of the district representatives of Salfit, Jenin, Ramallah, Nablus, Jericho, and Gaza City, and a lower level of positive evaluations for the district representatives of Tulkarm, Deir al-Balah and Jerusalem. See table (2) below.

Table (2)
Positive Evaluation of the Performance of the Representatives of the Electoral Districts *

1	Jenin	62%	9	Jericho	54%
2	Toubas	45%	10	Bethlehem	45%
3	Tulkarm	32%	11	Hebron	46%
4	Qalqilya	47%	12	Jabalia	49%
5	Salfit	76%	13	Gaza City	55%
6	Nablus	58%	14	Khanyounis	50%
7	Ramallah	59%	15	Deir al-Balah	37%
8	Jerusalem	43%	16	Rafah	46%

* Margin of error for the electoral districts is higher than the margin for the whole sample

• Positive evaluation of the performance of the Presidency rises in the Gaza Strip, especially in Rafah, and in the Nablus area in the West Bank, and among women, illiterates, housewives, those with low income, and supporters of Fateh. Positive evaluation of the Presidency drops in the West Bank, especially in the area of Tulkarm and in Gaza City the Gaza Strip, and among men, those with BA degrees, the professionals, low income people, and supporters of the PFLP. See table (3) below.

Table (3)
Positive Evaluation of the Performance of the Presidency

Region	West Bank	69%	Gaza Strip	75%
West Bank	Tulkarm area	52%	Nablus area	83%
Gaza Strip	Gaza City	69%	Rafah	83%
Gender	Men	65%	Women	76%
Education	BA degrees	43%	Illiterates	77%
Profession	Professionals	31%	Housewives	78%
Income	High	35%	Low	73%
Political Affiliation	PFLP Supporters	42%	Fateh Supporters	85%

• The findings indicate that the evaluation of the performance of the government depends on the area of government function under discussion. Positive evaluation is high in regard to education, providing security, and health, and is relatively low in regard to insuring democracy and human rights and the economy. See table (4) below.

Table (4)
Positive Evaluation of the Performance
of the Government in Various Areas

Providing Security	69%
Education	70%
Health	63%
Economy	28%
Democracy and Human Rights	41%

• As table (5) below, and figure (1) indicate, only minor changes have taken place on the levels of positive evaluation of the various PNA institutions during the period between September 1996 and December 1997, except for the increase in the positive evaluation of the police and security forces in the aftermath of the September 1996 Israeli-Palestinian confrontation in which Palestinian security forces fought alongside civilian demonstrators against the Israeli army.

Table (5)
Positive Evaluation of the Performance of PNA Institutions
(Sept. 1996-Dec. 1997)

	Dec. 1997	Sept. 1997	June 1997	April 1997	Dec. 1996	Sept. 1996
PLC	51%	42%	46%	48%	50%	48%
Cabinet	61%	56%	53%	59%	63%	63%
Judicial Authority	53%	49%	51%	55%	-----	50%
Police and Security	72%	68%	69%	77%	72%	62%
Presidency	71%	73%	68%	79%	76%	72%

[figure (1)] :Positive Evaluation of the Performance of the PNA Institutions (Sept. 1996-Dec. 1997)

Attitudes Regarding Proposed Legislation:

• Half of the Palestinians (50%) supports the position of the PLC calling for the immediate issuing of the Basic Law, while a little over a third (35%) supports the position of the Presidency calling for the postponement of the promulgation of the law. Support for the PLC position increases in Gaza City, and among men, those with BA degrees, students, and supporters of the PFLP, while support for the position of the Presidency increases in Rafah and among supporters of Fateh. See table (6) below.

Table (6)
Position Regarding the Promulgation of the Basic Law

		Support PLC Position	Support Position of the Presidency
Area	Rafah	37%	54%
	Gaza City	66%	22%
	Nablus	48%	37%
	Hebron	53%	32%
Gender	Men	56%	32%
	Women	44%	38%
Education	Illiterates	40%	34%
	BA Holders	58%	28%
Profession	Students	57%	32%
	Housewives	44%	38%
Income	Low	49%	37%
	High	40%	28%
Political Affiliation	Fateh Supporters	48%	41%
	PFLP Supporters	64%	29%
	Hamas Supporters	49%	40%

• Regarding the proposed political parties' and NGOs' laws, the findings show a large majority of respondents (about three quarters) supporting the view that demands a prior permission form the PNA before political parties or NGOs can be established by individuals or groups. About one fifth of the respondents thought that there was no such need. No significant differences were found among the different demographic groups except an increase in the percentage of those supporting the permission requirement among those with low income (76%) compared to those with high income (60%), and supporters of Fateh (87%) compared to supporters of Hamas (69%) and the PFLP (49%).
• An overwhelming majority of 87% supports the imposition of compulsory national service, while only 13% oppose it. No significant differences were found among the different demographic groups.
• A large majority of 73% supports the proposed imposition of a JD10 on each individual Palestinian annually to finance university education in Palestine, thus allowing the universities to keep tuition low. Twenty-six percent oppose the proposal. The level of opposition to the proposal was mostly related to level of income. Opposition in the Gaza Strip was higher (34%) than in the West Bank (21%), in the refugee camps (39%) than in cities (28%), and among men (30%) than women (23%), married (29) vs. non-married (17%), and those with low income (31%) vs. those with high income (8%). See table (7) below.

Table (7)
Level of Opposition to the Imposition of a JD 10 Fee
to Finanace Higher Education

Area	Gaza Strip	34%	West Bank	21%
Residence	Refugee Camps	39%	Cities	28%
Gender	Men	30%	Women	23%
Profession	Merchants	42%	Students	15%
Marital Status	Married	29%	Single	17%
Income	Low	31%	High	8%

• A similar majority of 73% supported the view thagovand municipal authorities may expropriate parts of privately owned land for the purpose of widening streets and roads. Twenty five percent opposed this view. The level of opposition is higher in the Gaza Strip (34%) than in the West Bank (20%), in refugee camps (42%) than in cities (28%) and villages and towns (16%).

Political Affiliation

• The findings show an increase in the level of support for Islamists, especially Hamas, in December 1997 compared to September 1997. A slight increase in the level of support for Fateh has also taken place during the same period (from 37% to 39%). As a result a decrease occurred in the percentage of independents and non-affiliated from 45% in September to 38% in December 1997. See table (8) and figure (2).

Table (8)
Political Affiliation (September 1996-December 1997)

	Dec. 1997	Sept. 1997	June 1997	April 1997	Dec. 1996	Sept. 1996
Fateh	39%	37%	41%	41%	45%	44%
Islamists	18%	14%	13%	15%	15%	15%
National Opposition	5%	4%	4%	6%	4%	5%
Independents and non-affiliated	38%	45%	42%	38%	36%	36%

[Figure (2)]: Political Affiliation (9/96-12/97)