77% Jordanians think Palestinian cause top political concern — poll

AMMAN — The vast majority of Jordanians, around 77 per cent, think that the Palestinian cause is the top political concern for the Middle East and needs a solution, a poll showed on Sunday.

The survey on the Jordanian foreign policy and international relations, conducted by the University of Jordan’s Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS), showed that 25 per cent of Jordanians are concerned with Middle East issues and one-third of Jordanians follow news related to the Kingdom, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

CSS Director Zaid Ayadat said that the survey is part of a series to check on Jordanians’ opinions and knowledge of the latest developments in Jordan and the region. 

The poll was conducted between February 15 and 25 and included a representative and comprehensive national sample that covered all governorates, age and educational groups across the Kingdom. 

Results of the poll showed that 37 per cent of those surveyed think that in terms of economic support, Saudi Arabia is the biggest Arab supporter, while the US is the biggest non-Arab supporter to the Kingdom, followed by the UAE and Qatar with 11 per cent and the UK with 6 per cent.

The majority of Jordanians also preferred Saudi Arabia as a country to develop economic relations with in the future, followed by Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Iraq, the UAE and Syria.

As for the Kingdom’s foreign relations, 35 per cent of the sample expressed their satisfaction, while 74 per cent of Jordanians believe that the Foreign Ministry and embassies are “doing well” in following up on the affairs of expatriates.

The results showed that Jordanians think the US is the Kingdom’s top ally followed by the UK, while 20 per cent said that Turkey is the country that Jordanians want to further develop cooperation with.

The survey showed that 81 per cent of Jordanians stressed their support for a Jordanian role in regional and international efforts in the Palestine-Israel conflict and the Syrian crisis.

On Jordanian-Israeli ties, the poll said that 48 per cent of Jordanians describe these ties as good, while 53 per cent believe that it is in the Jordanian interest to maintain the minimum level of relations with Israel. Nearly 81 per cent of Jordanians refuse normalising ties between Arab countries and Israel.

Almost 44 per cent of Jordanians support the two-state solution for the Palestine-Israel conflict, with 42 per cent thinking that it is the most realistic solution.

As for Jordan-US ties, the survey showed that 81 per cent of Jordanians believe these relations are currently good, and 13 per cent see that the US is serious in finding a solution to the Palestinian cause, while 55 per cent expressed their support to enhance Jordan-US relations.