Kesher Talk

When you care enough to poll the very best... A poll released today by the Palestinian Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC) shows a majority of Palestinians believe the aim of their 20-month-old uprising should be to eliminate Israel and not just end Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Fifty-one percent of people surveyed said the end result of the uprising should be "liberating all of historic Palestine." Seventy-nine percent of people surveyed said they back the revolt in some way and 68 percent said they approved of suicide bombings against Israeli civilians, down slightly from 74 percent in December.

We've come so far, haven't we?

The survey also showed 48 percent of respondents believed Palestinian President Yasser Arafat would win elections he has proposed holding early next year. Some 41 percent of people surveyed gave Arafat favorable marks, compared with 29 percent who said he was a bad leader.

On the plus side, more than half wanted reforms of his Palestinian Authority. But one can guess that they simply want more equitable representation in the PA for Hamas and Islamic Jihad. 58 percent said they supported domestic reform within the Palestinian Authority, and 42 percent said the best way to accomplish reform was through free democratic elections.

Overall, 25 percent of Palestinians said they trusted Arafat more than any other politician, followed by 24 percent who said they trust no one and nine percent who put their faith in Hamas' spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

posted by Howard @ 6/11/2002 04:31:09 PM