09/06/2011, 00.00
PALESTINE – UNITED NATIONS
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Palestinians split between immediate UN recognition and peace with Israel

A survey shows that public opinion in the West Bank and Gaza is divided over the request of United Nations recognition for the State of Palestine. Respondents judge contributions by various states and international organisations. The Arab League, Turkey and Muslim nations get best score. Europe does okay, but the United States is viewed very negatively. The United Nations also does not do well.
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – A majority of Palestinians (53.0 per cent) would oppose the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas if he decided to pull back from going to the United Nations to ask for recognition of the State of Palestine. At the same time though, 59.3 per cent would accept a postponement if the United States, Europe and the quartet asked for it to give negotiations with Israel another chance for a permanent solution acceptable by both parties.

The split in Palestinian public opinion on the issue of recognition is made clear by a public opinion poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO) whose results AsiaNews received today. The PCPO is an independent public opinion research organisation founded in 1994 to study the Palestinian attitudes and view. It is led by Nabil Kukali, a Christian, who teaches at Hebron University, in the West Bank.

Whilst 59.3 per cent respondents believe that it is necessary to negotiate peace with Israel before obtaining United Nations recognition, 35.0 per cent thinks that UN recognition is something that comes before a peace deal with Israel.

As for the contributions states and international organisations have made to the recognition of a Palestinian state, the Arab League tops the list with 52.9 per cent of respondents saying its contribution was “very good” and 20.3 per cent saying it was “somewhat good”, followed by Turkey (46.4 per cent and 25.5 per cent) and Muslim nations (42.7 per cent and 22.4 per cent).

A majority also appreciates Europe’s contribution (“very good” for 27.7 per cent and “somewhat good” for another 25.9 per cent). Russia also makes the mark (18.1 per cent and 28.2 per cent).

However, for the United States the picture is altogether different. Its contribution is deemed “not good at all” by 67.9 per cent of respondents, and “somehow not good” by an additional 15.7 per cent, against only 8.9 per cent with positive views.

Conversely, the United Nations gets a mixed score with 41.7 per cent saying it made a “very” or “somewhat good” contribution, against 54.0 per cent saying that its contribution was “not so good” or “not good at all”.

As for Palestinian groups, Fatah gets a better score (57.3 per cent “very good” and 21.9 per cent “somewhat good”) than Hamas (17.4 per cent and 42.0 per cent).
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