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| Volume XII, Fall 2005, Number 3 |
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ABSTRACT
The Politics of Corruption in Palestine: Evidence from Recent Public-Opinion Polls |
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| Guilain Denoeux |
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Dr. Denoeux is a professor of government at Colby College.
This article draws on seven public opinion polls carried out in the West Bank and Gaza between January 2004 and June 2005 to analyze Palestinian views on a number of corruption-related issues. Results provide critical insight into Palestinians' perceptions of the following: the scope of corruption and its salience relative to other problems facing the Palestinian Authority (PA); the PA's performance in combating corruption, especially within PA institutions; the centrality of corruption as a public-policy priority; and whether corruption is increasing or decreasing.
The surveys show that the PA's effectiveness in combating corruption consistently receives more negative evaluations than its overall performance (including in such areas as judicial reform and improving economic conditions or service delivery). The available data also reveals that the Palestinian public is growing more skeptical that corruption is being addressed, or that significant progress in this area is likely to materialize in the short term. It also demonstrates that the fight against corruption is viewed as a paramount priority of the recently elected municipalities and of the legislature scheduled to be elected in January.
Public opinion surveys also suggest that individual candidates' reputation for integrity (or lack thereof) was a decisive factor in the recent municipal elections, and that it will be critical as well in the forthcoming general elections. A key political strength of Hamas lies in the widespread belief that it is clean and ready to fight corruption, while Fatah remains severely handicapped by the common belief that corruption prevails in its ranks and among its elected officials.
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