Gazans overwhelmingly back rocket fire — poll

An overwhelming majority of Gazans support the rocket fire on Israel from the Gaza Strip, a new poll by the West Bank-based Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO) shows.

The poll, conducted in August 2014, reveals that 88.9 percent of Gaza residents “support the firing of rockets from Gaza at Israel,” while 75.4% say they believe the deterrence of the Palestinian resistance movement has increased. A similar poll conducted in January 2013 showed that just under 50 percent of Gazans supported the rocket fire at the time.

However, most participants say that specific operations against Israel, and not the firing of rockets, was the “most successful act of the Palestinian resistance in retaliation for the recent Israeli aggression.” according to the survey, 15.9% say the rockets are the most successful form of resistance, 23.3% opt for “infiltrating through enemy lines,” 29% choose operations such as the deployment of frogmen and other commanders into Israeli territory, while 12% prefer “the coordination between the different factions.”

Some 61.2%, meanwhile, say they oppose the deployment of UN multinational forces in the Gaza Strip, and 64.7% rate the stance of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon — presumably toward Gaza and the Palestinians, although the poll doesn’t specify — as “negative.”

A lower percentage — but still a majority at 54% — express satisfaction with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

In a statement, PCPO president Nabil Kukali says the survey was conducted in Gaza during a temporary six-day ceasefire last week.