Palestinian poll: 96.3% support prisoner exchange

July 17, 2006

Bethlehem- Ma'an- The Palestinian Center for Public Opinion has released the findings of its most recent poll. The poll which asked questions about the current conditions in the Palestinian territories has revealed that:

* 65.1% of Palestinians favor a resumption of peace negotiations with Israel.
*74.3% of these were respondents in the Gaza Strip and 59.8% were in the West Bank.

*96.3% favor the return of the captured Israeli soldier in exchange for some advantages for Palestinians
*2.9% favor the unconditional release of the soldier and 0.8% did not respond to the question.

In response to a question regarding which advantages they would support, the following were suggested as proposals:

*47.2% of respondents supported the release of female prisoners and children
*18.4% supported the release of 1000 Arab and Palestinian prisoners
*17.6% supported the end of Israeli military attacks against Palestinians
*8.9% supported the release of Palestinian Parliamentarians and legislators kidnapped during the current crisis
*3.3% supported compensating Palestinians for losses and damage incurred during the current Israeli incursions and strikes
4.6% said they would support other options


*77.3% of Palestinians polled supported the immediate release of the Israeli soldier if certain conditions were fulfilled
*21% supported the release of the Israeli soldier and a later fulfillment of commitments to Palestinians on the basis of agreements reached with international and Arab countries
*1.7% declined to answer.

*76.8% of Palestinians said that they are concerned about providing the basic needs of their families
*7.2% said they were not concerned at all
*0.7% said they don't know if they are concerned

*74.9% do not want the resignation of Palestinian Authority (PA)president, Mahmoud Abbas. 77.8% of these respondents live in the Gaza Strip and 73.2% live in the West Bank.

*58.5% do not want Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh and his cabinet to resign.
62 7% of these respondents live in the West Bank and 51.3% live in the Gaza Strip

Regarding the economic embargo on the Palestinians:

*48.6%think that the embargo may be lifted by the formation of a government of national unity
*24.8% think that it will be ended by the recognition of the state of Israel
*13.8% by the halt of firing rockets at Israel
*10.2% by putting an end to the crisis of the Israeli soldier
*2.6% answered "I don't know"

The Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO) conducted the survey between July 4 to July 7 2006 with a random sample of 1050 adult Palestinians 18 years old and above. All demographic groups in Palestinian society were included in the survey which was conducted in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Dr. Nabil Kukali Director of the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion said that the poll results clearly indicate that the Palestinian people are inclined to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the capture of the Israeli soldier. He said that they see this as an opportunity to trade the soldier for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails as all previous efforts and peace deals failed to release these Palestinian prisoners