Main Results

• When asked about a series of potential scenarios, the majority of public opinion leaders support two solutions for the Palestinian – Israeli conflict: 68 percent support a democratic state in historic Palestine with equal rights for all citizens and no discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, color, or sex. Sixty-five percent support a two-state solution: Palestine in the 1967 borders and Israel.

• Of the respondents, 54 percent believe that a two-state solution is feasible, while only 16 percent believe that one secular state is feasible.

• About 77 percent of respondents support the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. Some 63 percent of the respondents agree with introducing border alterations conditioned with geographical congruity of the Palestinian Territory including the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

• As much as 97 percent prefer Israeli dismantling or withdrawal from settlements and handing them over entirely to the Palestinian Authority, while 61 percent accept the evacuation of settlements and their use for Palestinian refugees’ residential purposes.

• A majority of respondents (75 percent) prefer to resolve the refugee question on the basis of UN Resolution 194 of the Right of Return and Compensation. As a second option, 54 percent of the sample accepts that Israel recognize its responsibility towards the plight of the refugees as a precondition to future discussions of possible solutions.

• A majority of 84 percent of the respondents prefer a solution based on East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state. In addition, 69 percent of respondents think that this solution is feasible.

• Most of the respondents (69%) believe that a lasting peace and a historical reconciliation between the two people are possible or possible to some extent.

• A vast majority (94 percent) believe that a Palestinian state should maintain normal relations with the neighboring countries. The majority does not support a confederation with Jordan. A higher percentage refuses a confederation with Israel. In addition, 83 percent of respondents refuse to attach the Palestinian Question to the policies of the regional and international alliances.

• Sixty-six percent of the respondents believe that the Palestinian Nation (in the Palestinian Authority
• as well as in the Diaspora) is the most authorized to ratify any agreement, particularly concerning final status issues.

• Fifty-eight percent of opinion leaders believe that an international conference under the auspices of the UN would provide a solution for a just settlement of the conflict.

• Forty-seven percent of the sample is in favor of combining peaceful popular resistance and negotiation, while 40 percent are in favor of combining armed resistance and negotiations.

• Forty-four percent of the sample believes that dissolving the PNA and having the world assume its responsibilities is the best solution if the peace process fails, whereas, 28 percent see that maintaining the status quo is better than dissolving the PNA.

• Most of the sample (73 percent) would like to form a democratic government similar to political systems in the European countries.

• Fifty-one percent favor the insertion of a constitutional provision that declares the Palestinian state as a secular state, whereas 41 percent reject it.

• Of the respondents, 72 percent said that the PLO is the most capable and legitimate body to manage the Palestinian situation with the need to undergo reform steps and have all Palestinian parties joining it.

• Fifty-seven percent of the sample support amending the electoral law to represent a full proportional system (i.e., all Palestinian districts will be treated as one constituency).

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