The Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) is conducting opinion polling at the district level, where all 16 Palestinian districts in the West Bank and Gaza are included in the study. AWRAD had created an index composed of a number of indicators to evaluate the performance of various institutions and parties in these districts. The index includes evaluation of Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) members, governors, government services, local councils and feeling of security. The results illustrate the difference between the percentage of those who evaluated the institutions positively (excellent or good) and the percentage of those who evaluated their performance negatively (less than average or weak). The difference between these two percentages is presented as plus or minus values to indicate positive and negative evaluation. In a few cases, the value is zero to indicate that the positive evaluation and the negative evaluation are equal. In addition, the poll assesses the popularity of all political groups in each district. The results for Hamas and Fateh are presented as percentages showing their support in each district. The current presentation shows the results for (January 2008 and November 2007) at the same time to allow for comparison, but also to show overall trends in the districts. The districts were ranked according to the combined results of both November 2007 and January 2008 polls. The national sample size is 3200 (with a margin of error of plus or minus 2%) and the sample size for each district is 200 (with a margin of error close to plus or minus 5%). Dr. Nader Said, the General Director of AWRAD, confirmed that the data show significant differences between the views of respondents in the West Bank and Gaza, where Gazans are less satisfied with the performance of all institutions compared with West Bank respondents. In addition, the sense of insecurity is higher in many West Bank districts including Jerusalem (under Israeli control) than most Gaza districts despite the fact that Gaza was under attack during the field wok to collect the data for the latest poll.

The following are the main results for districts:

1. Governorates' Offices:

In both polls (November 2007 and January 2008), the governor's office of Qalqilya received the highest positive evaluation (+40, +40). It was followed by the Nablus governorate (+28, +25) and Salfit (+23, +24). The goveornortate of Tulkarm is in fourth place (+15, +13), Ramallah (+21, +5) and Jericho (+12, +12). The lowest evaluation went to the Jabalya – North Gaza governorate (-38, -13), followed by Rafah (-19, -29), Gaza (-20, -19) and Deir elBalah (-11, -14).

2. PLC members

The evaluation of PLC representatives tends to be on the negative side. That is natural given the fact that the current PLC has not functioned during the last two years. In most districts, the evaluation was on the negative side. Still the Qalqilya respondents gave their representatives the heights positive evaluation out of all districts (+16, +11). Qalqilya was followed by Jericho (+12, 0), Ramallah (+4, +1) and Salfit (+8, -5). All other PLC representatives received evaluations that are more negative than positive in November 2007 and January2008. The least positive evaluations went to the representatives of Nablus at number 13 out of the 16 districts with grades of (-17, -27), Rafah who came at number 14 with grades of (-24, -24), Khan Yunis at 15 with grades of (-38, -15) and Jabalya at number 16 with grades of (-44, -11).

3. Government services

The respondents were asked to evaluate the services provided by government institutions in general. The most positive evaluation was in Qalqilya (+33, + 31), followed by Tulkarm (+33, +21), Salfit (+27, +26), Jericho (+26, +23), and Hebron (+31, +12). The least favorable evaluation was in Deir elBalah at number 13 with grades of (-2, -4), Rafah at number 14 with grades of (-3, -12), and Gaza City at number 15 with grades of (-14, -19). The least favorable evaluation went to government services in the district of Jabalya – North of Gaza which came at number 16 with grades of (-29, -13).

4. Local councils

The evaluation of local councils was general to all local councils in each district. This poll recognizes that there are differences between one council and another. The data however show the overall evaluation of councils in each district, which would help the Ministry of Local Government to detect which districts need more attention. In general, the evaluation of local councils was on the positive side. This might be due to their increasing role in providing services under the closure. The councils of Hebron and Qalqilya districts were evaluated most positively by the respondents and came at the top of the list with (+51, +41) for Hebron and (+40, +41) for Qalqilya. In third place came the district of Ramallah (+44, +21), followed, in fourth place, by Tulkarm district (+35, +23) and Salfit district in fifth place (+31, +24). The least favorable evaluation went to the local councils in the districts of Jabalya at number 15 (-22, -13) and Gaza City at number 16 with (-36, -13).

5. Feeling of security

Palestinians were questioned about their feeling of security for themselves, their families and property. This question was only posed in the January 2008 poll. The results show that the percentage of those who declare insecurity is higher than the percentage of those who declare security in all districts. The least sense of security is declared by the respondents of Bethlehem district (-49), Ramallah district (-46), Jerusalem (-35), Khan Yunis, Jenin and Nablus districts (-32 each) and Tubas and Jericho districts (-31 each).

6. Support for Fateh

Support for Fateh varies greatly from one district to another. The data show that it had declined by about 10% in the West Bank and Gaza in general since last November. The bulk of the decline was in Gaza. Fateh, however, receives its highest support in the districts of Qalqilya (41%, 53%), Jabalya (43%, 38%), Deir elBalah (43%, 38%), Rafah (39%, 39%) and Khan Yunis (49%, 27%). The least support for Fateh is in Jerusalem (22%, 22%).

7. Support for Hamas

Support for Hamas is highest in the Gaza City district (24%, 29%), followed by Deir elBalah (14%, 25%), Rafah (14%, 25%), Jabalya (15%, 22%), Khan Yunis (15%, 19%) and Hebron (17%, 18%). The least support for Hamas is in Nablus (8%, 5%), which was well known to be a stronghold for the movement as illustrated in the latest 2006 PLC elections. Support for Hamas in Jerusalem is at (9%, 19%) for November 2007 and January 2008.

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