There has been a recent study conducted by Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) among Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank, and the results are profoundly depressing.

AWRAD is an internationally respected research and consultancy agency based in Palestine. They are funded by multiple Arab governments, by the UN and by the World Bank amongst others, so their results can’t be lightly dismissed.

People have been asking for the link. Curiously, they have taken down the English version, though the Arabic version is still up. But you can still read the original here:

Rejection of peace and reconciliation

The great majority are against peace with Israel on any terms:

• 75% support the October 7 massacre
• 85.9% reject coexistence with Israel
• 71.1% are committed to the restoration of “historical Palestine” as a final resolution
• 74.7% support the creation of a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” as the only acceptable resolution of the conflict.

Support for terrorism

There is almost universal support for terror:

• 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
• 88.6% believe that Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Kassam Brigades, plays a somewhat to very positive role.

Terror organisations have far higher support than Fatah

Fatah is hardly a force for moderation, but it seems that they are not nearly radical enough for their own people:

• 87.3% of the Palestinians believe that the Palestinian Authority plays a negative role
• Only 8.4% believe that the PA should govern the West Bank and Gaza
• 85.8% support Hamas continuing to play a role in the Palestinian government
• 13.6% support a Hamas-only government
• 72.2% support a “national unity” government of Fatah and Hamas.

Ingratitude and hostility towards aid providers

Negativity towards aid providers is extreme:

• 98.2% of Palestinians see the U.S. role as negative
• 96.7% consider the UK role as negative
• 92.6% consider the EU role as negative.
• 85.5% believe that these countries support Israel because of “hatred of Arabs
• 79.5% believe that support is the result of “hatred of Muslims and Islam”

More moderate Arab countries working towards peace are equally hated:

• 96% disapprove of the UAE
• 95.5% disapprove of Saudi Arabia
• 84.6% disapprove of Egypt
• 75.6% disapprove of Jordan.

Unrealistic views on the current military situation

As an indication of the levels of self-delusion in operation here:

• 72.6% said “Palestine” will win the current military conflict
• 3.1% said Israel will win.

Western fellow travellers are equally delusional

Since the outbreak of the current conflict I have heard western apologists claim 100 times that:

“Hamas is not Palestine - why should the ordinary people suffer when all they want is peace?

Clearly, this is the product of bias and wishful thinking. This study shows that ongoing violent conflict is precisely what the majority of Palestinians support.

It certainly explains why Israel is still wary of letting down her defences - even more so after their latest intelligence failures on the Gazan border.

Here’s a graphic summarising the reported approval ratings that you could share if you are so minded: