Executive Summary

A majority of the respondents 77.2% expressed its support for the military operation that included the abduction of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit while only 21.7% said they opposed it.

Also, a majority of the respondents 66.8% supported the continuation of such operations that aim at the abduction of Israeli soldiers as a suitable response within the current political conditions compared with 30.7% who reject them and find them harmful to the Palestinian national interests

Significantly, this high support for the abduction comes out in spite of the fact that the majority of the respondents 46.7% expect the crisis of the Israeli soldier to end with losses incurred by the Palestinian side compared with 36.9% who expect it to end with gains achieved by the Palestinian side.

Moreover, a majority of the respondents 60.4% supported the continuation of firing rockets against Israeli targets as a suitable response within the current political conditions whereas only 36% said they reject them and find them harmful to the Palestinian national interests

Finally, If elections were to be held today, the percentage of Palestinians who will vote for the Change and Reform List (Hamas) slightly rises from 30.8% in June 2006 to 33.1% in this poll compared with a percentage of Palestinians who would vote for Fateh Movement 32.2% remained almost stable corresponding to 33.2% prior to recent incidents which indicate that the recent incidents in Gaza have slightly altered the balance in Hamas favor.

Methodology :

A random sample of 1197 people over the age of 18 was interviewed face-to-face throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip between 21st and 22nd of June 2006. The interviews were conducted in randomly selected homes, and the subjects inside each home were also selected randomly according to Kish tables. The interviews were conducted in 60 sampling points chosen randomly according to population.

In the West Bank 757 people were surveyed from the following areas: Jenin: Jenin, Jenin RC, Tubas, Kafr Ra'ii, Misliya, Silat al Harthieh. Nablus: Nablus, Kufr Qalil, Beit –Iba, Asmout, Askar RC, Farkha. Tulkarem and Qalqilya: Tulkarem, Nur-Shams RC, A'teel, Anabta, Qalqilya, Jayyous. Hebron: Hebron, al-Thahirieh, Dura, Halhul, Bani N'eim, Beit Khahel, Taffuh. Bethlehem: Bethlehem, el-'Beidieh, Za'tara, al-Khader, al-Duheisheh RC. Ramallah & al-Bireh: Ramallah, al- Bireh, Beit Liqya, al-Jalazon RC, Kufr al-Diek, Kufr Ne'meh.. Jerusalem: Bir Nabala, Qalandia RC, al-Dahieh, al-Ram, Old City, Beit Hanina, Beit Hanina Tahta,al-Isawieh, Silwan, Wadi al-Joz Jericho: Jericho, Ein al Sultan RC.

In the Gaza Strip: 450 people were surveyed from: Gaza: Shati RC, al-nasser, al-Zaytoun, Sabra, al-Durj, al-Tufah, a-Shuja'a, al-Rimal north, Sheikh Radwan Khan Younis:al-Khuza', Khan Younis, Bani Suheila, Khan Younis RC, al-Qararah Rafah: Rafah, Tal al Sultan RC, Rafah RC. Gaza North: Jabalia, Jabalia RC, Beit Hanoun. Deir al-Balah:Deir Al Balah, al-Maghazi RC, al- Nusseirat RC, al- Bureij RC.

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