The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies recently conducted an opinion poll, surveying 8,000 Arab respondents across 16 countries. The objective was to gauge Arab perceptions of the Israel-Hamas war.
One notable finding from the survey revealed that 67% of respondents deemed Hamas’s October 7 attack as a “legitimate resistance operation.”
The breakdown indicated that 19% considered it legitimate but “flawed,” 3% saw it as legitimate but involving “heinous or criminal acts,” and only 5% deemed the attack “illegitimate.”
Regarding the reasons behind Hamas’s attack, while some viewed it as a proxy war for Iran, only 2% of respondents agreed. Instead, 35% believed the primary reason was “The ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.” The second most cited reason was “Defending al-Aqsa Mosque against attacks,” with 24% expressing this belief.
Despite tensions surrounding the al-Aqsa Mosque, where non-Muslims are prohibited from praying, 24% argued that defending the mosque was the most crucial reason behind the attack.
Only 8% of respondents attributed the attack’s main reason to the “[t]he ongoing blockade of Gaza,” while an additional 12% considered it the second most important reason. The blockade has been a contentious issue since Israel withdrew citizens from Gaza in 2005, subsequently controlled by Hamas.
A high level of Arab solidarity with Gaza’s Palestinian population was evident, with 92% expressing such feelings. Furthermore, 69% indicated support for both the Palestinians and Hamas, while 23% felt solidarity for Palestinians but opposed Hamas.
Regarding international responses to the war, a majority of respondents viewed the United States, France, the UK, and Germany negatively. Specifically, 94% considered the U.S. position negative, with 82% stating it was bad. Additionally, 81% doubted the U.S.’s seriousness about establishing a Palestinian state, and 77% identified the U.S. and Israel as the biggest threat to regional security.
{Matzav.com Israel}
This poll is the ongoing sheker of the Arabs. Complete sheker.
What was the reason for the 1929 chevron massacre when there was no “occupation of Palestinian land”? that reason is the very same reason for the oct 7th massacre.