Middle East Nonviolence Polls

In 2002, Search for Common Ground commissioned two polls, which were conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) of the University of Maryland, to determine attitudes of the Palestinian and Jewish-Israeli publics on the potential for nonviolent methods in the Palestinian intifada.

The December 2002 poll found that 72% of the Palestinians indicate readiness to move beyond the cycle of violence if Israel will agree to a settlement that includes the establishment of a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders. However, many in this majority express a lack of faith that Israel would ever really make the necessary concessions. This mistrust blocks the formation of a clear majority ready to renounce violence. At the same time, fewer than one in five Palestinians favor pursuing a violent struggle with the goal of gaining all of historic Palestine.

Get the news release [PDF] in English, Arabic, or Hebrew
Get the full survey report [PDF] in English, Arabic, or Hebrew.

The initial poll in August 2002, found:
80% of Palestinians would support a large-scale non-violent protest movement and 56% would participate in its activities.
78% of Israeli Jews believe that the Palestinians have a legitimate right to seek a Palestinian state, provided that they use non-violent means.

Get the news release [PDF] in English, Arabic, or Hebrew
Get the full survey report [PDF] in English, Arabic, or Hebrew.