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Results of the Public Opinion Survey conducted by the Palestinian Center for Research and Cultural Dialogue (PCRD)

This survey was commissioned by Open Bethlehem, an international PR campaign for Bethlehem, and covered more than 1000 respondents in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala. The survey questions covered a variety of aspects that relate to the experiences and attitudes of the residents of the three cities.

The key findings of the survey were as follows:

-    43.1% are pessimistic in different degrees about the future of the city of Bethlehem.
-    20.1% of the Christians say that many of their relatives have emigrated recently, as against 5.4% Muslims responding to the same question.
-    47.8% of all respondents have considered emigrating.
-    12.7% are in the process of emigrating, 15.7% of Christians and 8.3% of Muslims.
-    76.4% believe that the main cause of the emigration of 400 Christian families in the past few years is due to the Israeli aggression and occupation, whereas 3.1% only believe that it is due to the rise of Islamic movements.
-    66% of the Christians believe that Israel deals with the Christian Heritage of Bethlehem with brutality or indifference.
-    73.3% of Christians believe that the Palestinian National Authority deals with the Christian Heritage of Bethlehem with respect.
-    82.5% think that the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) should list Bethlehem as an International Cultural Heritage Site.
-    74.4% believe that most people around the world must have heard about Bethlehem.
-    75.7% believe that most people around the world would want to visit Bethlehem
-    34.9% believe that the most important factor that prevents tourists from visiting Bethlehem is fear for their own safety, and 28.4% believe that it is fear of general violence that might erupt in the area.  
-    81.3% believe in different degrees that Bethlehem is a safe place for tourists.
-    86.1% believe that the churches should make a greater effort to help Bethlehem.
-    52.1% believe that most people around the world know little about the reality of the situation in Bethlehem, whereas 22.6% believe that most of them know nothing about Bethlehem.



The Questions

The first question was directed to Muslims asking if they have Christian friends, 87.5% answered that they do have Christian friends, whereas 12.5% answered that they do not have Christian friends.

The second question was directed to Christians asking whether they have Muslim friends, 92.2% answered that they do have Muslim friends, whereas 7.8% answered that they do not have Muslim friends.

About the question “Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the city of Bethlehem” 11.1% say that they are very optimistic, 42.7% say that they are somehow optimistic, 32.8% are somehow pessimistic while 10.3% are very pessimistic. 3.1% expressed no opinion.

The question about the major problems that face Bethlehem 22.4% believe that the main problem is the high rate of unemployment, whereas 5.9% believe that it is emigration, 4.3% believe that it is the confiscation of  Palestinian lands, an overwhelming majority of 67.4% believe that it is all these three reasons together.

The question what are the major problems that face Bethlehem today 38.1% of the respondents believe that it is the Israeli occupation, 39.1% believe that it is the Wall, 19.2% believe that it is the internal divisions within the community, 2.0% referred to other reasons, while 1.0% expressed no opinion.

Concerning the question whether they have relatives who have emigrated recently 14.1% report that many relatives have emigrated recently, 25.5% say that some relatives have emigrated recently, and 11.4% say that one relative has recently emigrated.  However, 63.2% of Christians report that at least one relative has emigrated and 20.1% report that many relatives have emigrated. The corresponding figures for the Muslim respondents are 32.8% (at least one) and 5.4% (many).

About the question of whether the emigration of relatives or friends caused them depression 32.6% say that this caused them severe depression, 42.4% say that it did cause them distress, 24.1% say that it has no affect. 9.0% express no opinion.

When asked about whether they would consider emigrating 47.8% say that they would, whereas 52.1% say that they wouldn’t, 0.1% express no opinion.

About the Question “Are you in the process of emigrating” 12.7% say that they are in the process of emigrating, whereas  86.9%  say that they are not.

When asked about the reason that caused almost 400 Christian families to emigrate in the last few years as shown in the United Nations report 76.4% of the population in general respond that the Israeli aggression and occupation is the main cause of emigration rising to 78% among Christian respondents and only 3.1% blame it on the rise of Islamic movements.  12.1% believe that it is because of the two above-mentioned factors together.

Concerning the question whether any family member has had land confiscated by the Israeli authorities to build the Wall, settlements or by-pass roads 13.9% answered that they many relatives have had their land confiscated, 26.8% answered that they have some relatives whose land has been confiscated, 8.7% answered that they have one relative whose land was confiscated. However, 54.7% of Christians answered that they have at least one relative whose land was confiscated as opposed to 37.7% among  the Muslims.  20.1% of the Christians say that many of their relatives have emigrated recently, as against 5.4% Muslims responding to the same question.

The question whether the respondent did have a friend or relative that was arrested by the Israeli forces for political reasons 65.3% say that at least one of their family members or friends was once arrested for political reasons as opposed  to 34.1% who say no. 0.6% gave no answer.
41.5% say that they had at least  one friend or family member killed by the Israeli army.  58.5% said they don’t. 53.9% of the Muslim respondents and 32.9% of the Christian respondents answered in the affirmative.

When asked about how Israel deals with the Christian Heritage of  Bethlehem 65% of Christians answer that it treats it with either brutality or indifference (rising to 76% for respondents over the age of 60), 4.3% say that Israel has nothing to do with it, while 4.6% express no opinion.

A majority of 73.3% of Christians and 83.3% of the Muslims believe that the Palestinian National Authority treats the Christian Heritage of Bethlehem with respect.

When asked whether the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) should enlsit Bethlehem as an International Cultural Heritage Site as they did with the Pyramids in Egypt an overwhelming majority of 82.5% say that the UNESCO should, while 12.3% oppose. 5.2% express no opinion.

About whether they think that most people around the world have heard about Bethlehem a majority of 74.4% say they believe that people have heard about Bethlehem, whereas 22.9% believe that they haven’t. 2.7% express no opinion.

When asked about what most people around the world think about Bethlehem almost half of the respondents 43.7% believe that the people abroad think that the ancient city of Bethlehem still exists, and that the inhabitants of Bethlehem can trace their origin and culture to the time of Jesus Christ. 28.1% believe that people abroad think that the ancient city of Bethlehem still exists but its Culture and origins are not similar to the old times, 12.3% believe that people abroad think that the city of Bethlehem is an ancient city no longer inhabited by people, 11.2% believe that people think that the City of Bethlehem is a mythical Place, 4.7% express no opinion.

When questioned about their opinion whether most people around the world would like to visit Bethlehem three quarters 75.5% believe that most people around the world would like to visit Bethlehem, whereas 14.5% oppose. 9.8% express no opinion.

Question the most important factor that prevents the tourists from visiting Bethlehem today more than one third of respondents 34.9% believe that the main deterrent is fear for  their own safety, followed by 28.4% who believe that it is fear of general violence, those who believe that it is the Israeli closures are 24.3%, and those who believe that it is the lack of information the foreign tourists have about the city are 2.5%, whereas 1.6% say that they don’t care about Bethlehem, 1.5% say that it is due to the difficulties in moving around the country, 1.2% there is not enough tourist attractions that draw their attention, 1.2% believe that it is the lack of their financial resources that prevents them from visiting Bethlehem, 0.2% believe it is the, whereas 1.0% express no opinion.

About whether they believe that Bethlehem is a safe place for tourists to be in an overwhelming majority of 81.3% respond that Bethlehem is a  very safe or somewhat safe.

The question “Do you believe that the churches should do more to help  Bethlehem” the overwhelming majority 86.1% respond positively as opposed to 7.5% who oppose, whereas 6.4% express no opinion.

Regarding the question how much do people abroad know about the reality of the situation in Bethlehem more than half of the respondents say that people around the world know little about the reality of the situation in Bethlehem , while the remaining part of the respondents are divided into almost two equal parties, 22.1% of them say that people know everything about the reality of the situation but are doing nothing about it whereas 22.6% say that they do not know anything about it, 6.4% express no opinion.

When asked the question “do you think that people around the world know much about Bethlehem, but they are not doing anything about it” more than half of the respondents said yes, whereas 39.8% said no. 6.1% express no opinion.

When asked about what they think is the deterrent that stops people from helping Bethlehem the majority 43.1% say people around the world are afraid of the pro Israeli lobby, followed by 16.3% who believe that people do not understand the situation in Bethlehem, 11.6% say that it is indifference in general, 9.3% believe that Bethlehem is not important for  people abroad, 9.3% say that people around the world believe that the problem of Bethlehem is too complicated to understand, 7.8% say that these people do not know how to help whereas 0.6% referred to other reasons. 1.9% express no opinion.

About the question “what is the main factor that could help Bethlehem” more than half of the respondents say that it would be international pressure 53%,  18.9% believe that it is change in Israel’s internal politics, 10.2% believe it is  local resistance, whereas 7.6% say that it is pressure from  Arab Countries.1.9% express no opinion.

The Palestinian Center for Research and Cultural Dialogue (PCRD), was commissioned by Open Bethlehem to conduct this poll on a random group of 1000 Palestinian adults (18 years and older), from the cities of Bethlehem, Beit-Jala, and Beit-Sahour (three cities that form the conurbation of the Bethlehem district).
The margin of error was 3.1%.  The percentage of Christian respondents was 59.2% and the percentage of Muslim respondents was 40.8%. The percentage of male respondents in the sample was 49.7% and female respondents was 50.3%

According to the Palestinian Central of the Bureau of Statistics, the city of Bethlehem is divided into 34 residential groups, whereas Beit-Jala and Beit-Sahour are both divided into 20 residential groups each.

The methodology the Palestinian Center for Research and Cultural Dialogue (PCRD) followed was that the Center chose 20 residential groups from the city of Bethlehem, 10 residential groups from Beit-Jala and 10 from Beit-Sahour, a random starting group was chosen in each of the cities, the researchers then moved from one group to the other. That is if the researchers choose to give the questionnaire to group number (1), they would disregard group number (2) and go to group number (3) and so on. And to ensure the random selection of the sample, 25 questionnaire forms were given to each residential group, hence that each residential group consists of about 150 residential units. So the residential unit that did receive the questionnaire was  each sixth unit of the group, accordingly 503 individuals participated in the poll from Bethlehem city, 246 individuals from the city of Beit-Jala and 251 from the city of Beit-Sahour.

The Palestinian Center for Research and Cultural Dialogue was careful to have the ratio of the male respondents almost equal to the female respondents, for example if a male was questioned in the sixth residential unit, a female would be questioned in the twelfth unit, and then a male would be questioned in the eighteenth unit and so on. The researchers used the Kish Grid, which is internationally used in opinion surveys.