The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies revealed key findings of a survey on Arab and Palestinian public opinion regarding the Israeli Occupation war on Gaza.

The survey, conducted on a sample of 8,000 respondents across 16 Arab societies, addressed citizens' views on critical issues related to the ongoing aggression.

Results indicated that 97 percent of respondents feel varying degrees of psychological pressure due to the war, with 84 percent experiencing significant stress. Approximately 80 percent follow war news, primarily through TV, 54 percent, and the internet, 43 percent. 

Regarding the motive behind Hamas' Operation Aqsa Typhoon on October 7, 2023, 35 percent attributed it to Israeli Occupation violations, 24 percent to defending Al-Aqsa Mosque, and 8 percent to the ongoing Gaza blockade.

On the legitimacy of the operation, 67 percent considered it a "legitimate resistance operation," 19 percent viewed it as "legitimate with some mistakes," and 5 percent deemed it "illegitimate."

Regarding solidarity, 92 percent expressed support for the Palestinian people, with 69 percent standing in solidarity with Gaza and Hamas. Meanwhile, 23 percent expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people but differed with Hamas.

Concerning the comparison between Hamas and Daesh, two-thirds of respondents believed they are entirely different, while only 3 percent saw no difference.

In assessing regional and international powers' policies on the war, the majority of respondents opposed the United States stance with 94 percent and others viewed it negatively with 82 percent. Views on France, Britain, Germany, Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China varied.

The survey revealed that 76 percent currently have a more negative view of the US due to its stance on the war, and 81 percent believe the US is not serious about establishing a Palestinian state since 1967.

In terms of security threats, 77 percent saw the US and the Israeli Occupation as the most threatening to the region, with 51 percent regarding the US as the biggest threat.

Regarding media coverage, 82 percent of respondents perceived US media as biased towards the Israeli Occupation, with only 7 percent considering it neutral.

A notable 92 percent of the Arab public now sees the Palestinian cause as a collective Arab issue, reflecting a substantial increase from previous years.

This percentage surged dramatically in some countries, such as Morocco (from 59 percent to 95 percent), Egypt (from 75 percent to 94 percent), and Saudi Arabia (from 69 percent to 95 percent), indicating a significant shift in citizens' opinions.

A staggering 89 percent of Arab respondents reject their countries recognizing the Israeli Occupation, compared to only 4 percent in agreement.

This marks an increase from 84 percent in the 2022 survey. Notably, opposition to the recognition of the Israeli Occupation in Saudi Arabia rose from 38 percent to 68 percent, in Sudan from 72 percent to 81 percent, and in Morocco from 67 percent to 78 percent, which is significant statistically.

Regarding measures governments can take to halt the war, 36 percent of Arab citizens believe cutting ties or normalization reversal with the Israeli Occupation is crucial. Another 14 percent suggest delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza without the Occupation's approval, while 11 percent propose leveraging oil as pressure on the Israeli Occupation. Additionally, 9 percent advocate for forming a global alliance to boycott the Occupation.

There is nearly unanimous agreement among Palestinian respondents from the West Bank and Jerusalem, with over 95 percent expressing a significant impact on their sense of security, freedom of movement, personal safety, and economic conditions due to the war.

Among West Bank Palestinians, 60 percent reported experiencing or witnessing Israeli Occupation military incursions, 44 percent faced Israeli Occupation army detention or interrogation, and 22 percent encountered attacks or harassment by Israeli Occupation settlers.

This groundbreaking survey, conducted in 16 Arab communities from Dec. 12, 2023, to Jan. 5, 2024, involved 500 respondents per community.

The communities represent 95 percent of the Arab region's population, ensuring equal probability for individuals to appear in the sample.