Fifty three percent of citizens consider that corruption has increased in 2020
An opinion poll conducted by AMAN about the Reality of Corruption and Anti-Corruption Efforts in Palestine in 2020
Ramallah/Gaza- The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity-AMAN presented at a press conference an opinion poll it had conducted on the Reality of Corruption and Anti-Corruption Efforts in Palestine in 2020 in the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and Gaza Strip. The purpose is to detect the changes in the citizens’ perceptions and consciousness of corruption and combatting corruption as well as their willingness to engage in fighting it.
The main findings may be summarized as follows: 53% of the citizens consider that corruption has increased (67% in the West bank and 33% in Gaza). Although the citizens’ expectations about the spread of corruption has improved, citizens are still pessimistic, since 55% of the citizens consider that corruption will increase next year, compared with 60 % last year.
The issue of corruption constitutes a priority for the citizens amidst the challenges facing the Palestinian society
Corruption constituted one of the four major challenges facing the Palestinian society in 2020, according to the citizen’s perception. The economy ranked first at 26%, followed by corruption at 25%, with a difference of one point only, then occupation at 21% and finally the internal political divide at 14%.
It is worth noting that corruption constituted the priority among the youth under 30 years old, as well as public sector employees. The poll findings revealed discrepancies between the opinions of the citizens in the West Bank and Gaza Strip regarding the priority of resolving the corruption problem, as it ranked first in the West Bank, with 30%, while it ranked fourth in Gaza Strip at 17%. On the other hand, the continued internal divide constituted the priority for Gazan citizens at 23%, while it received only 8% in the West Bank.
Forty six percent of the citizens consider the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to be either (effective to moderately effective)
The 2020 poll findings indicated a decrease in the citizen’s evaluation of PACC effectiveness (effective to moderately effective), with a decrease of 3 points (49% compared with 46%) from the 2019 poll findings.
Eighty four percent of citizens consider the effectiveness of the Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes Prosecution moderate to poor
Regarding Gaza, the poll findings in Gaza revealed that 84% of the citizens perceive the effectiveness of the competent authorities in combatting corruption (Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes Prosecution) moderate to poor.
The citizens continue to believe that the perpetrators of corruption are senior employees
58% of the citizens believe that the scale of corruption in the Palestinian Authority’s institutions is still large. The citizens also consider that corruption is concentrated among the senior public sector employees. They consider that the service delivery ministries are the ones most susceptible to corruption, in addition to the General Authority of Civil Affairs, especially in Gaza Strip.
The citizens’ perceptions in the West Bank and Gaza varied in ranking the most susceptible ministries to corruption. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) ranked first in this poll, at 19%, followed by The Ministry of Interior (MOI) at 16%, followed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) at 13%, then The Ministry of Social Development at 11%.
The Ministry of National Economy (MONE), The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the General Authority of Civil Affairs ranked fifth, as each received 6%. However, in Gaza the ranking was as follows: MOI, MOF, MOH then the General Authority of Civil Affairs.
Twenty three percent of the citizens consider favoritism and nepotism the most common form of corruption in Palestine
The crimes of favoritism and nepotism, embezzlement of public funds, abuse of position, bribery, and money laundering and trading in influence were the most common forms of corruption for the second consecutive year. 23% of the citizens consider favoritism and nepotism the most common form of corruption in Palestine, with 12 point in the West Bank more than Gaza (28% in the West Bank compared with 16% in Gaza).
Embezzlement of public funds ranked second at 20%; Abuse of position, bribery in return for public services or unrightfully obtaining a privilege, ranked fourth at 13% each, followed by laundering corruption crime proceeds, breach of trust, trading in influence and failing to report conflict of interests (8%, 8%, 6% each) consecutively.
There were also discrepancies among the youth’s responses (under thirty years old) according to their place of residence in ranking the forms of corruption. In the West Bank, the forms of corruption were ranked in the following order: favouritism and nepotism 30%, abuse of position 22%, embezzlement of public funds 15% and bribery 12%. However, in Gaza, the order was as follows: embezzlement of public funds 27%, favouritism and nepotism 15% and abuse of position 10%.
Promotions and appointments to senior positions ranked first as the services that have the highest potential for corruption among the respondents. The findings revealed that 35% of the citizens who visited public institutions during 2020 had to resort to favouritism to obtain a public service. There were different reasons for resorting to favouritism according to the citizens, including concern over not being able to obtain the service because of limited opportunities (23%), lack of trust in service providers’ integrity (22%) concern that another ineligible person shall take the service because of corruption (18%), while 16 % attributed that to saving time by avoiding bureaucratic measures. The poll revealed that 17% of the citizens either paid a bribe or gave gifts to a public employee in return for a public service. The rate is higher in Gaza than in the West Bank (28% in Gaza, 10% in the West Bank).
The citizens’ opinions varied in the West Bank and Gaza Strip about the services and the areas in which bribery is most common. While health services ranked first in the West Bank at 29%, followed by travel at the border crossings 22%, then permits and travel authorizations 21%, in Gaza bribes were most common in travel at the border crossings 31%, followed by permits and travel authorizations, 30% then other services at close rates.
One third of the citizens believe that the promotions and appointments in senior positions service has the highest potential for corruption, followed by distribution of humanitarian assistance and health services, and the services of the General Authority of Civil Affairs in Gaza Strip ranked first at 20%.
Two thirds of the citizens believe there is corruption in the Judiciary
Sixty nine percent of the citizens in the West Bank and Gaza Strip indicate that there is corruption in the courts and prosecutions, and the rate reaches 76% in the West Bank compared with 58% in Gaza. The findings indicated that 79% of the citizens believe the penalties against corruption crimes are not deterrent, while 17% only believe they are deterrent.
Eighty percent of citizens: Anti-corruption efforts are insufficient
A high rate of citizens believe that the reason for spoiled food and drug is the lack of deterrent sentences in the Penal Code and interferences and favouritism to help the perpetrators, especially large traders and suppliers.
Fifty nine percent of the citizens believe that the spoiled food and drugs crimes have increased in 2020, with 38% attributing such increase to the “lack of accountability and prosecution of the perpetrators of those crimes”, and 24% to the “the lack of deterrent penalties”, and 19% to “favouritism and nepotism regardless of the crimes”.
The role of the fourth estate in unveiling corruption cases is either poor or moderate
Eighty five percent of the citizens perceive the role of the Palestinian media as poor or moderately effective in unveiling corruption cases. On the other hand, two thirds of the citizens perceive the social media as the most effective media tool to unveil and shed the light on corruption cases in 2020.
Despite the adoption of the Whistle-blower Protection Regulation, most citizens refrain from reporting corruption. 60% of the citizens believe that the citizens do not usually report corruption, while 32% believe that the citizens usually report corruption that they observe, with the rate rising to 38% in Gaza, and dropping to 28% in the West Bank. The reasons are “fear from retribution”, the lack of sufficient protection to whistle-blowers and witnesses, “the lack of sufficient awareness about corruption and its forms”, and the lack of conviction in the feasibility of reporting as no measures will be taken against the corrupt.
It is worth noting that AMAN conducts the opinion poll on the Reality of Corruption and Anti-Corruption Efforts in Palestine on an annual basis, to collect indicators that help analyse the public opinion, conduct and convictions towards certain issues related to corruption and combating it. The sample comprised 1320 persons, aged above 18 years old, (792) in the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and (528) in Gaza Strip, with a margin of error of ± 3%. The interviews were held face to face and at houses.
Tp read the summary of the Opinion Poll, click here
