Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA)

The results of new market research conducted by the Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD)¹ among Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria (West Bank) give a penetrating insight into the mindset of the Palestinians. For over three decades, the international community has supported both the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority; the results of the survey show that Palestinians overwhelmingly support terrorism, reject peace, and are fundamentally ungrateful towards the countries that have supported and funded them.

The Palestinian attitudes reflected in the survey do not grow a vacuum. Instead, they are representative of the complete adoption of the constant and poisonous messaging of the PA. They are an accurate, albeit bleak, and painful reflection of the total implosion of the Oslo paradigm.

If the international community truly seeks peace in the Middle East and a brighter future for all its residents, policies must change, and a new paradigm must be adopted.

As Israel’s war on Palestinian terror continues, the following are selected results from the AWRAD survey.

Palestinians Support Terror, Reject Peace, and Deny Israel’s Right to Exist

When taken as a whole, the results indicate that an overwhelming percentage of Palestinians support the October 7 massacre (75%), reject coexistence with Israel (85.9%), are committed to the restoration of “historical Palestine” as a final resolution (71.1%), and support the creation of a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” (74.7%) as the end of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Interestingly, there is more support for the 10/7 massacre from the Palestinians resident in Judea and Samaria (83.1%) than those residing in the Gaza Strip (63.6%).

Support for Terror Organizations

The Palestinian positive perception of the terror organizations remains high despite their role in carrying out the massacre and the disastrous results. Breaking down the response, 76% believe that Hamas plays a somewhat to very positive role; 84% believe that Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) plays a somewhat to very positive role; 79.8% believe that Fatah’s terror wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, plays a somewhat to very positive role; and 88.6% believe that Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Kassam Brigades, plays a somewhat to very positive function.

Palestinians Hold Fundamentally Racist Views

When asked about U.S. and Western support for Israel against the terrorists, 91.5% agreed with the attitude that the support is the result of the “influence of the Israeli lobby;” 85.5% agreed that the support is the result of “hatred of Arabs;” and 79.5% agreed with the belief that the support is the result of “hatred of Muslims and Islam.”

Palestinians Reject the Hand that Feeds and Supports Them

As opposed to the perceived positive role played by the terror organizations, and notwithstanding the political and financial support the Palestinians receive from the U.S. and Western countries, 98.2% of Palestinians see the U.S. role as unfavorable, 96.7% consider the UK role as negative, and 92.6% ascertain the EU role as unfavorable.  

Alongside the disdain for the U.S. and Western countries, the Palestinians also believe that moderate Arab countries also play a negative role. According to the Palestinians, the United Arab Emirates plays the most negative role (96%), followed by Saudi Arabia (95.5%), Egypt (84.6%) and Jordan (75.6%). All these countries have made peace with Israel or consider the possibility.

The Palestinians Reject the Palestinian Authority and Fatah

While support for terror organizations is high, 87.3% of the Palestinians believe that the Palestinian Authority plays a negative role. Only 23.2% believe that Fatah plays a positive role. When asked who should govern the Gaza Strip and the areas in Judea and Samaria that are under the control of the PA, only 8.4% supported the PA. In comparison, 85.8% supported Hamas continuing to play a role in the Palestinian government – 13.6% supported a Hamas-only government, while 72.2% supported a “national unity” government – i.e., a government comprised of Fatah and Hamas.

Palestinian self-delusion

When asked who would emerge victorious from this war, 72.6% said “Palestine” would, while only 3.1% said Israel. 74.3% expect the war to end with a Palestinian victory that “achieves the liberation of Gaza from the Israeli invasion.”

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