Most Palestinians believe PLO probably will not suspend recognition of Israel, says poll

A majority of Palestinians believe the Palestine Liberation Organization probably will not suspend its recognition of Israel, even though a top PLO body suggested last month that it wants to carry out such a move, according to a public opinion poll published on Sunday.

More than half of the Palestinians included in the poll (56%) said the PLO is unlikely to freeze its recognition of Israel, while 38% said the Palestinian body probably will make such a decision.

The survey of 1,200 Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip was conducted between January 27 and February 2 by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center, a polling institute located near Ramallah.

In January, the Palestinian Central Council, the second-highest PLO decision-making body, decided to entrust the PLO Executive Committee with suspending recognition of Israel until Israel “recognizes the State of Palestine along 1967 borders, annuls its annexation of east Jerusalem and halts settlement building.”

The PLO recognized Israel in 1993 before signing a number of agreements with the country, which established the Palestinian Authority.

The poll also found that most Palestinians (54%) do not trust any Palestinian faction, whereas 22% said they trust Fatah and 10% expressed confidence in Hamas.

In a similar survey conducted in August 2017, 41% of Palestinians said they did not trust any political faction.

Moreover, the survey indicated that Palestinians are divided on the best way to end Israel’s military rule and establish a Palestinian state.

While 36% percent of Palestinians said that armed conflict is the most preferred way to end Israel’s military rule and create a Palestinian state, 25% said that the path to a Palestinian state is through negotiations and 31% said that popular protest is the best means to achieve these goals.