A vast majority of the Palestinians support the terror attack in which brothers Hallel and Yagel Yaniv were killed in the town of Huwara near Nablus last month, according to a public opinion poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR).
Conducted between March 8 and 11, the poll also found that support for the two-state solution among the Palestinians has dropped, while the demand for the resignation of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has increased.
The findings of the poll, which covered 1,200 Palestinians and has a 3% margin of error, showed a rise in the percentage of those who support a return to armed confrontation and an intifada (uprising) against Israel.
According to the results, 71% of respondents said they supported the shooting of the Yaniv brothers in Huwara, while 21% expressed opposition to this and similar armed attacks.
The attack was carried out by Abdel Fattah Kharousheh, 49, a Hamas member from the Askar Refugee Camp near Nablus. Kharousheh was later killed during a raid by Israeli security forces in Jenin Refugee Camp.
Widespread support for terror organizations amongst Palestinians
The poll found that 68% of Palestinians polled support the formation of armed groups such as the Lions’ Den, whose members have carried out a series of shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers in the Nablus area over the past few months.
A majority of 58% expect the armed groups to expand and spread to other areas in the West Bank, while 61% expect security conditions to escalate, leading to the eruption of a third armed intifada.
Palestinian opposition to the two-state solution stands at 71%, while only 27% support the concept, the PCPSR poll showed. In the last poll, conducted in late 2022, support for the two-state solution stood at 32%.
A majority of 74% believe that the two-state solution is no longer practical or feasible due to the expansion of Israeli settlements. Three months ago, 69% said the two-state solution was no longer feasible or practical.
When asked about support for specific choices to break the current deadlock between Israel and the Palestinians, 57% said they favored joining more international organizations, while 58% supported a return to armed confrontations and an intifada. In the last poll, 55% supported a return to armed confrontations.
The percentage of Palestinians who want Abbas to resign has increased from 75% (three months ago) to 77% in the latest poll.
The level of satisfaction with the performance of 87-year-old Abbas stands at 19% and dissatisfaction at 77%, the results of the poll indicated.
If new presidential elections were held today, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would receive 52% of the votes, while Abbas would get only 36%.
If Abbas does not run for elections, the Palestinian public prefers Marwan Barghouti, the leader of the ruling Fatah faction who is serving five life terms in Israeli prison for sponsoring attacks on Israelis during the Second Intifada.
The last Palestinian presidential election was held in 2005, when Abbas was elected to a four-year term. The last parliamentary election was held a year later.