Palestinians support Hamas decision to go to war with Israel, survey suggests, with no political solution on horizon | CNN
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A survey of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank suggests they back Hamas in its decision to go to war with Israel, seeing no alternative to armed struggle.

CNN reporting on some interesting survey results from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah. Seven hundred and fifty adults were interviewed face to face in the West Bank, and 481 were interviewed in Gaza, also in person. The Gaza data collection was done during the recent truce, when it was safer for researchers to move about.

  • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
    4511·
    11 months ago

    Of course they’re going to support fighting back against a nation murdering their children in broad daylight while the world watches, who could blame them? Many probably didn’t hold those sentiments before this “reprisal” but now…

    • Blackbeard@lemmy.worldMEnglish
      292·
      11 months ago

      Eh, that’s not quite what the survey respondents are saying. It’s not as simple as “support war, yes or no?”:

      The survey, which has a four-point margin of error (rather than the usual three-point), found that almost three-quarters (72%) of all respondents believe Hamas’s decision to launch its attack on Israel on October 7 was “correct.” Less than a quarter (22%) said it was “incorrect.”

      They’re very clearly in favor of the initial attack, not just the response. And it goes further:

      In Gaza, support for armed struggle has risen only slightly from 50% in September 2022 (a year before the current war) to 56% in December 2023. In the West Bank, however, support has been rising dramatically from 35% in September 2022 to 54% in September 2023 (a month before the war). This month, polled support for armed struggle reached 68% in the West Bank.

      And:

      But Shikaki cautions that higher support for Hamas should not be over-stated, at least not yet. As more Palestinians come to terms with the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, so attitudes could change — though that is unlikely to be the case so long as Gaza remains under massive attack.

      Important again is how many people have watched videos from October 7 and the differences between the territories. In Gaza, 25% of those asked said they had viewed such videos; and 16% of all respondents told researchers Hamas had committed war crimes. In the West Bank, the corresponding numbers were just 7% and 1%.

      Gaza is moving out of denial more quickly than the West Bank, Shikaki says, and that means a reckoning for Hamas. Already, only 38% of Gazans want to see the militant group return to governance after the war.

        • abuttandahalf@lemmy.ml
          43·
          11 months ago

          Probably not. Hamas has been more popular in the west bank for decades. The Palestinian authority is a repressive government. It will continue imposing itself on the people and serving Israel regardless of that. The only way the will of the populace could be instated in the west bank at this time is if the PA’s own security forces rebel. That’s not likely to happen because they go through severe brainwashing and personal humiliation in order to become part of the forces through a program devised by the US and overseen by general Dayton.

      • triclops6@lemmy.ca
        0·
        11 months ago

        This is the part that’s Western media doesn’t show: Hamas support and animosity towards Israel predates the October attacks, it’s a big part of why the Israeli government is responding this way.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      187·
      11 months ago

      Yep.

      It’s just they (rightfully) feel like diplomacy won’t work because there’s an obvious mismatch in strength, and the international community has shown not to give a fuck for decades.

      It’s a slow genocide, or a fighting chance.

      They literally have no other option than sitting there waiting to be killed. Who wouldn’t want to fight back? Even if they know they can’t win.

      • masquenox@lemmy.world
        95·
        11 months ago

        the international community has shown not to give a fuck for decades.

        The international community does give a fuck - or, at least, the west does. They want to see Israel successfully perpetrate genocide - and they would really appreciate it if everybody would shut up about it.

      • Kittenstix@lemmy.world
        59·
        11 months ago

        This is literally the opposite of the truth, look at how Israel has made peace with every other Arab nation in the area after they came to the table for peace, fighting will just end in more subjugation and loss of territory, that is the story of Israel and Palestine

        Israel tries to make peace, Palestinians refuse and fight then lose more land, ad infinitum

        • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
          21·
          11 months ago

          The west bank is a lie and doesn’t exist. It’s propaganda made up by Hamas to prove being peaceful with israel doesn’t work and they will slowly steal all your land with guns and bulldozer your houses.

          • Kittenstix@lemmy.world
            22·
            11 months ago

            Yea sure, just strawman me.

            If you look at how the west bank is treated vs Gaza you’d see that Israel is willing to give peaceful people autonomy.

            And I agree Israel is fucking abhorant for the illegal settlements, and they should be punished for it, there is no excuse for them.

            • Davin@lemmy.world
              12·
              11 months ago

              The settlers, armed and protected by Isreal, run counter to your claim that Isreal is willing to make peace. The reality is that Isreal wants the land and they’re going to take one way or another. With violence from peaceful people or with violence from people fighting against them taking their land.