Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) together with Simon Engelkes, Director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in Ramallah, presented the results and data of the 91st public opinion poll conducted in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip between 5 and 10 March 2024.
The period leading up to the opinion poll witnessed the continuation and expansion of the war in the Gaza Strip and further ground operations in the center as well as parts of southern Gaza. The increase in fighting led to a worsening of the humanitarian situation, the further displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, the death and injury of tens of thousands of people and the arrival of first signs of possible famine in the northern Gaza Strip, which has only been able to receive little humanitarian aid deliveries.
The poll was also conducted at a time of rising fears of the possible consequences of a military offensive in the Rafah area, as efforts to reach a humanitarian ceasefire before the start of Ramadan in March 2024 had failed.
During this period, the conversation about different scenarios of ‘the day after’ the war continued with little progress. However, talks on the need to revitalize the Palestinian Authority (PA) led to the resignation of Mohammad Shtayyeh's government and the designation of a new Prime Minister shortly after data collection had ended. Meanwhile, restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank increased as the entrances to most towns and villages were blocked by the Israeli army and settler violence against Palestinian towns and villages in certain vulnerable parts of areas B and C continued.
This 91st poll covers all these issues, among many others such as the peace process, the vision of a two-state solution as well as the alternative options available to the Palestinians in light of the current stalemate.
The sample size of this poll is 1580 adults, of whom 830 were interviewed face to face in the West Bank (in 83 locations) and 750 in the Gaza Strip (in 75 locations). Given the uncertainty about the population distribution in the Gaza Strip, we almost doubled the size of the sample in that area in order to lower the margin of error, which stands at +/-3%. The combined West Bank-Gaza Strip data file was reweighted to reflect the actual proportionate size of the population in the two Palestinian areas. Therefore, the sample is representative of the residents of the two areas.
For further details, contact PSR director, Dr. Khalil Shikaki, or Walid Ladadweh at tel. 02-296 4933 or email pcpsr@pcpsr.org
