West Bank and Gaza Palestinians lack confidence in leaderships, surveys find

Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza have little trust in their separate leaderships and a dim view of their prospects.

The opinions are indicated by two surveys, taken before and after the conflict began.

Israel began its war in Gaza after gunmen from Hamas burst across the border fence, killing 1,200 people and seizing about 240 hostages on October 7th, according to Israeli estimates.

Since then, about 14,500 Gazans have been killed by Israeli bombardment, according to health authorities in the Hamas-ruled territory. The Palestinian health ministry has said army raids in the West Bank have resulted in the deaths of 206 Palestinians, while seven Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers.

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The results of the first poll, conducted between September 28th and October 8th by Arab Barometer, has been published in Foreign Affairs magazine. Arab Barometer conducted 700 interviews in the West Bank and 399 in Gaza.

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Two-thirds of respondents had a negative view of Hamas while 72 per cent said there was corruption in the Hamas-run government.

A slender majority of Gazans considered the West Bank-based, Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA) a “burden on the Palestinian people” and 67 per cent wanted PA president Mahmoud Abbas to resign.

When asked for whom they would vote if a presidential election were held in Gaza, only 24 per cent of those questioned said they would vote for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Twelve per cent said they would vote for Mr Abbas. Marwan Barghouti, a Fatah stalwart who is imprisoned in Israel, received the backing of 32 per cent.

The survey results also reflected the dire situation in Gaza where, according to the World Bank, the poverty rate increased from 39 per cent in 2011 to 59 per cent in 2021. The survey showed 78 per cent of Gazans said they suffered from insufficient food and were forced to reduce meals. Most blamed mismanagement and inflation, while 16 per cent held Israel’s blockade responsible.

The second survey was carried out by Ramallah-based Arab World for Research and Development and published on November 14th. While the number of respondents was small – 688 in the West Bank and 277 in Gaza – this can be explained by difficulties contacting Palestinians while they were subjected to Israeli raids and bombing. The results of the survey covered Palestinian views on the war, their prospects, and factional, Arab and international behaviour during the conflict.

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Nearly 80 per cent of respondents remained committed to the goal of a Palestinian state although they believed this will not be realised, and nearly 87 per cent said there will not be a peaceful solution to the conflict with Israel or co-existence between Palestinians and Israelis.

Nearly two-thirds of West Bankers and 47 per cent of Gazans strongly supported the Hamas attack on Israel. They said the aim was to liberate Palestine, end the blockade of Gaza, or protect the Al-Aqsamosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

Hamas’s role in the crisis was considered positive by 61 per cent of people surveyed in the West Bank but only 29 per cent of Gazans. The survey showed respondents held strong negative views of Israel (97 per cent), Fatah, the PA, the United States, Iran, Arabs, Turkey and the United Nations.