Corruption and Its Combat in Palestine 2023 (Public Opinion Survey)

Corruption is a plague... it almost strikes most countries of the world, but it differs in its prevalence rates and the sectors affected by this plague, at a time when anti-corruption is being carried out and the noose tightened around it, through enacting strict laws and regulations legislated by the state's legislative bodies in order to address the consequences of this corruption. Although in some countries those who legislate the regulations and laws are the ones accused of corruption... and things proceed under their cloak. Consequently, the crimes of this corruption are, in some cases, wrapped in law under the rubric of broad powers of some senior officials, whether in the public sector or in other sectors.!

As for Palestine, it is a country under Israeli occupation, which clearly spreads corruption on the ground; this Israeli occupation supports and creates an environment that helps the proliferation of corruption at all its stages. Despite that, the occupation is not alone in the growth and nurturing of corruption in Palestine: there are some corrupt people in Palestinian society, at all levels, who helped substantially raise the level of corruption in Palestine, according to a public opinion survey — by 63% of respondents (the surveyed).!

All these surveyed opinions, some of which we will discuss in this posting, appeared in the report: "Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN) 2023, Public Opinion Survey on the Reality of Corruption and Its Combat in Palestine 2023, Ramallah, Palestine." The Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN) conducted a public opinion survey of Palestinians in both the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip during the period 16-25/9/2023, for the purpose of monitoring changes in citizens’ impressions and awareness concerning the reality of corruption and its combat.

The surveyed respondents answered a question regarding their assessment of the level and extent of corruption in state institutions and other sectors of Palestinian society; they answered that its level and extent are large, by 63% of respondents, and 57% of citizens said that they believe corruption will increase next year (2024)!

Also, the results of the above-mentioned survey regarding the question about the five most important core problems and challenges that should be given priority in Palestinian society showed that 26% of the surveyed believed that the problem of escalating economic crises had gained the first priority as a core problem, with 26% of respondents; while the problem of the Israeli occupation and its policies came in second place with 22% of citizens’ opinions, and the spread of corruption in Palestinian society came with 21% of surveyed opinions, while the problem of weak rule of law obtained 18% of surveyed opinions. As for the fifth problem according to these opinions, it was the continuation of the division, which received 11% of their opinions!

Some may read these results with surprise or doubt their accuracy as presented in the survey, and that such results may be exploited in favor of those who believe in economic peace first to get rid of the occupation second..!! But there are those who read such indicators as meaning that the occupation is the one that fuels corruption in Palestinian society, which, as noted above, ranks third among the list of priorities and importance and therefore significantly affects the country’s economic situation. We must not forget that there are some matters and indicators that appear in public opinion surveys which are of great importance and are conducted by bodies and institutions recognized for their credibility and transparency, and which are among the main components of civil society that bear responsibility in oversight along with other institutions over the executive authority in Palestinian society, which make us not bury our heads in the sand and say that there are no such results. On the contrary, they exist and we feel them, noting that there are multiple manifestations of corruption I reviewed through the annual reports of the State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB) in Palestine that were not mentioned in this citizens’ survey! These are alarming indicators that must be dealt with and their causes researched and addressed with seriousness and responsibility!

In response to the surveyed question about the sector most prone to corruption in Palestine, 53% of their responses said that the sector most prone to corruption is official government institutions, and specifically occupants of senior ranks are a prevailing characteristic of perpetrators of corruption crimes in Palestine... in the ministries sector and security apparatuses — according to respondents’ opinions —

The surveyed respondents answered the question regarding the ministries most susceptible to the spread of corruption; their answer was that the ministries directly related to the provision of services are, in order: Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and the security institutions.!

As for the question about the most widespread forms of corruption in Palestinian society, according to respondents’ opinions, the ranking of the proportions of these forms was as follows: the percentage of wasta and favoritism reached 18% of surveyed opinions; embezzlement of public funds reached 15%; credit abuse was 13%; and abuse of power reached 11% of surveyed opinions in descending order....!

As for the reasons that contributed to the spread of corruption in Palestine, according to respondents, citizens believe that weak adherence to the rule of law and the lack of seriousness in holding senior corrupt people accountable, where they enjoy immunity, and the non-activation of the role of the Legislative Council and oversight institutions helped create an environment that encourages corruption. Citizens also believe that this occurs in areas of appointments and promotions to senior positions, as well as health services, distribution of humanitarian aid, and issuance of permits.

Palestinian citizens also stated in the survey that the most mediums through which corruption was prone to spread in 2023 were practicing the crime of bribery at 31% of their opinions, followed by: health services at 27%, while services for granting licenses and official permits reached 23%, whereas education services reached 18%. Also, crimes related to corruption in food and medicines increased in 2023 by 80% of their opinions, compared to 74% in 2022. They believe this is due to not holding perpetrators of these crimes accountable and prosecuting them, and the use of wasta, favoritism, and patronage to overlook those crimes, as well as that existing legislation does not provide deterrent penalties and citizens’ weak awareness of these crimes!

85% of citizens in the survey see that the role of the media in combating corruption is weak or of medium effectiveness, and 71% of citizens see that digital media is the most effective social medium in shedding light on and exposing corruption cases that occurred in 2023!

Some 46% of citizens are unconvinced of the effectiveness and adequacy of the efforts of the bodies tasked with fighting corruption in the West Bank, and they still doubt their independence, believing there are interventions by influential political parties in their work. Citizens see that the first entity most intervening in the work of anti-corruption bodies, according to surveyed opinions, was the security services, passing through several entities up to party leaders.!

Regarding the ranking of ministries/government agencies most exposed to the spread of corruption, according to citizens’ opinions in the public opinion survey, they were: the Ministry of Social Development, which received 16.2% of their opinions, followed by the Ministry of Health, at 15.1%, then the Ministry of Finance at 9.8%, then the security institutions at 9.8%, etc.

The reasons that contributed to the spread of corruption: non-adherence to the rule of law at 20.7%, lack of seriousness in holding senior corrupt people accountable at 16.6%, the immunity enjoyed by some persons at 12.1%, practices of the Israeli occupation and its role in creating an environment that encourages corruption at 12%, non-activation of the role of the Legislative Council and oversight institutions at 11.3%!! Weak role of civil society in combating corruption at 11%, political division at 7.7%!!

Corruption in service delivery: The public services that were the most prone to the spread of corruption in 2023: appointments and promotions received 20.4% of respondents’ opinions, health services were 20%, then humanitarian and social assistance at 16.5%, while permits, licenses and official authorizations were 11.7%, customs and tax at 9.5%, etc. As for the ease of obtaining information from public records, 61% of respondents answered that this is not done easily! As for the existence of a culture among citizens who do not see anything wrong in resorting to wasta, the response rate was 14%!