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Palestinian President Abbas of Fatah
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Palestinian PM Haniyeh of Hamas
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Poll: Fatah bounces back in territories

Survey conducted by university in Nablus demonstrates changing political climate. If vote were to take place today, Fatah would beat Hamas by over 15 percent

There appears to be a change in the Palestinian political balance of power: A survey conducted by the an-Najah National University in Nablus, published Sunday evening, shows that if Palestinian elections were to take place today, the Fatah movement would solidly defeat Hamas.

 

Of 1,360 Palestinians polled, 38 percent would support a Fatah candidate in a theoretical presidential election, compared to 17.4 percent who would vote for a Hamas candidate.

 

Fatah would also sweep the board in general elections, with 35 percent of those polled indicating that they would vote for Fatah compared to only 20 percent would vote for Hamas.

 

This is a significant flip from the situation a year and a half ago, when Hamas beat Fatah by almost a 2:1 ratio in the January 2006 elections.

 

Nonetheless, 59 percent of Palestinians polled stated that advancing the elections would be tantamount to a political revolution against the Hamas government, as opposed to 33.3 percent who disagreed.

 

Survey says: Anti-Israel, pro-unity government 

48 percent of those asked stated that the solution to the lack of salaries for government workers is the disbandment of the current government, while 25 percent believe that the workers need to accept the situation and return to work.

 

63 percent of those surveyed support the government workers' strike, compared to 34 percent who are opposed.

 

The general word on the street regarding Israel has not changed: 60.3 percent of Palestinians still support terror attacks in Israel, while only 33 percent oppose them. 52.5 percent support launching rockets at Israel, compared to 42.5 percent who do not. When asked if rocket launchings negatively impact Palestinian issues, the results showed a tie.

 

Palestinians seem to hang their hopes on a unity government. Regarding the financial situation, 60 to 80 percent fear economic deterioration and feel that a unity government constitutes a solution to the problem.

 

85 percent support the establishment of a unity government, as opposed to only 11 percent who oppose it.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.10.06, 19:48
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