News
New poll shows growing discontent with Hamas rule in Gaza
Associated Press
Published: 03.10.07, 15:11
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
30 Talkbacks for this article
1. somethings wrong.
(10.03.07)
How can the Hamas movement actively participate in a democratic election ?There isn't anything close to democratic about them.
2. Wow! Eye opening!
Korem ,   New York, USA   (10.03.07)
This is amazing! THE MAJORITY of Gazans do not support attacks on Israel! Do you know how revolutionary this is? I remember a few years ago the number of palestinians against attacks on Israel would be at 20%. Now it's at 55%! I can only pray this is the beginning of something....
3. What? Intolerable Conditions not sitting well with Gazans?
David P. ,   Central Coast, USA   (10.03.07)
I thought thats what they wanted?
4. how ironic
Nabulsi   (10.03.07)
the consultancy company is based in Rammallah ... and probably headed by one of Abbass's aids ... how believable could that be! not very much at all i am afraid. They forgot to add that in addition that Gazans oppose the firing of qassams they welcome the barrages of israeli tank and air missiles that rain on theGazans!
5. Only One Polling Result of Interest ...
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (10.03.07)
That is the 47% who are thinking of emigrating. This is the real solution for Gaza. By all means, we should be helping them to leave. I'm not sure I trust the results of the poll - how reliable, how accurate. Or are these phoney results to make Abbas look good during the meetings with Olmert? I don't trust Palestinians - they have faked so many incidents that nothing they do or say has much credibility. Another point - who expects Hamas to allow elections? The only way to get rid of Hamas is with a gun.
6. What happened to all the rejoicing in the streets?Terrorism
took it's ugly mask ,   off &has them afraid   (10.03.07)
7. Palestinians who want to emigrate
Canadian Otter   (10.03.07)
Who would want to raise a family in a chaotic and violent society. The more Israel steps back, the more oppressive and violent they become against each other. There should be a campaign - a well organized campaign - to show the Americans that there are very well thought out ways of avoiding the creation of a terror state in such a volatile region. Jerusalem Summit has had an offer for years, but it has been ignored by both the Israeli right wing and the Americans. But now things look so bad, the lack of readiness for statehood so evident, that there needs to be emphasis on emigration as a solution that will benefit everyone. Jerusalem Summit suggests: (b) The termination of ethnic discrimination against Palestinians , living in the Arab world - which will end the discriminatory treatment of the Palestinians with regard to their status as residents; (c) Generous relocation grants to Palestinians living in Israeli administered territories on an individual basis and not via any official Palestinian organization. http://www.jerusalemsummit.org/eng/hs_short_eng.htm The Americans have spent over 500 billion dollars trying to bring democracy to Iraq, yet they are creating an undemocratic and terror state right next to their only real ally in the Middle East. It's madness.
8. They deserve what they voted for.
Allan ,   US   (10.03.07)
9. Reality
paul malykont ,   United States   (10.03.07)
Reality is a stern taskmaster. Once a group takes governmental power it must deliver, it can't just posture. Fanatics always fail because they can't adjust to reality. Keep up the pressure and simultaneously continue the peace process. It will be long and hard, but it will succeed.
10. Pallygallup poll! When told it wasRamalla based they liedx10
Alan ,   SA   (10.03.07)
I dont believe a word of Abbas Crony Polls. They lie&lie&lie. If given half a chance they would vote in Hammas with a BIGGER majority. They grow fat on the Weeds and olive diet that Haniyeh promised them! They are happy as long as Unwra gives felafel and they can run around in those black IRA ski masks showing Israel&Abbas who is Boss
11. HAMAS WILL NEVER LOSE ELECTIONS
bernard ,   paris   (10.03.07)
cuz there won't be any under their rule!
12. For #11
Sadhasiv ,   Washington DC, USA   (10.03.07)
Muslims west of Ayodhya have never had any concept of democracy--even when the British were ruling over a large percentage of them.
13. To #7 "Ethnic discrimination against Palestinian"
Juan ,   Spain   (10.03.07)
Could you define this term for us please? I sure couldn't! Are they an ethnic group - how?
14. 470 / 1,500,000 !!!!!?
Gazan ,   Gaza, Palestine   (10.03.07)
15. #7...seems logical to me!
DR ,   Florida, USA   (10.03.07)
Palestinians would be much happier if they actually followed through with the Jerusalem summit proposals. I don't understand why the international community is so hell-bent on creating a palestinian state next to Israel.
16. No sympathy for those is Gaza
Cameron ,   USA   (10.03.07)
You folks wanted an Islamic Jihadi cr*phole and now you truly have one.
17. It doesnt take a poll......but watch this space.
Sammy ,   Newcastle UK   (10.03.07)
I have been advocating that for months. What we need now is for that indifference to Hamas in Gaza to translate into a LOUD voice But Haniyeh is certainly wily. Recently in conversation with a number of Gazans by phone some with their ears close to the ground, they feel that Haniyeh and his son are beginning to see which way the wind is blowing in WB and more recently parts of Gaza. Mark my words. Haniyeh is every bit a schemer and calculator. He knows hes exhausted all so called military solutions without sucess and unlike other rock hard hardliners cant justify condemning Gazans to perpetual political limbo and world isolation for much longer. He will almost certainly very soon seek an accomadation with Fatah. But he also has the strength of character and ruthlessness to distance himself from that grotesque caricature Mashaal and Mashaals paymasters Iran and force out ultra hardliners from the Hamas power centre. Haniyeh I believe may yet surprise us all by taking the initiative towards peace , turning Israel/Palestine politics on its head and leave the world stunned.
18. ANSWER to4/
bachrach Andres ,   Kfar Saba ilo.   (10.03.07)
4#how many more times,we the Israelis.have to tell you:leave off and stop firing your silly quassams on us not more only for a week,you will see the result.YOU WILL SEE THE RESULT!!! compry? Andy mihakfar
19. telephone poll
dgs ,   Israel   (10.04.07)
those were the 10% palestinians who actually HAVE TELEPHONE!!! and would never support hamas anyway, they are the ones who weren't yet able to leave for another country to live without the pressure from hamas. let's napalm hamas headquarters and 300 meters round periphery now!!! no more kassams!!! NO MORE!!! let them take thier own medicine! GO IDF!!!
20. Hamas and Palestine
Fahmi ,   West Europe   (10.04.07)
I'm from Gaza and used to live in many western countries and I support Hamas and will support them for ever. The poll is a joke and the truth is Gaza was always the Capital of Hamas and will stay like this and most people who disagree with Hamad disagree with Fatah as well so that Fatah has always less support than Hamas.
21. There is an old rule
Sidney ,   USA   (10.04.07)
When a totalitarian party wins an election, it is the last election.
22. Is it because HAMAS is bad, or that US
(10.04.07)
and Israel are not allowing food, or anything into the Gaza strip. Under free conditions, I would expect Palestinians to re elect Hamas. What you hear is most likely due to external forces, not more or less.... The truth is that Islamic parties will win any election in the Middle East. From Turkey, to Egypt, and from Palestine to Iraq... Why ?? A response to what people see from injustice.... Religions are politicized... From so called Zionism, to so called Islamic fundementalism
23. #13 Juan - regarding Pals. rights in Arab countries
Canadian Otter   (10.04.07)
I'm not going to get into semantics on whether they are an ethnic group or not. I was quoting Jerusalem Summit. The fact is that most of the so-called Palestinian refugees originally came from Syria and other Arab countries looking for work among the Jewish pioneers. Others lived there but did not own property. The land belonged to Turkish absentee landlords. The land was sold to the Jews. It is only recently that they decided to usurp the term "Palestinian" which had originally and for centuries been used to call the Jews living in old Israel. The Jewish pioneers of early 20th century used to be called Palestinians. And regarding discrimination against this group - ethnic or not - you must be aware that Palestinian refugees suffer from widespread discriminatory treatment in other Arab countries. In Lebanon they are still stateless and living in crowded refugee camps. Children born in those camps are considered stateless. Adults suffer from severe restrictions on their right to work. In Syria, after several generations born there, they too are still considered "stateless". " In Jordan there is a quarter million Palestinian still living in refugee camps. There have also been punitive actions by Arab hosts against Palestinians, which include "Kuwait's expulsion of tens of thousands of long-term residents in the wake of the 1991 Gulf war (leaving the Gazans among them who carried Egyptian travel documents with nowhere to go because the Egyptian government denied them entry), and the Libyan government's move in 1995 to demonstrate its displeasure with Arafat's peace negotiations with Israel by not renewing the one-year residency visas of some 30,000 Palestinians and beginning summary deportations." " In Jordan, Palestinian fighters clashed several times with the Jordanian army and were finally expelled in 1971. "In Lebanon, they became embroiled in a civil war, and their attacks on Israel lead to an Israeli invasion in 1982 and their expulsion from Lebanon." The above is quoted from Human Rights Watch. http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/israel/return/arab-rtr.htm So, as you can see, Juan, Israel fares far better in its treatment of Palestinians than any of their own Muslim brothers. And better than the treatment that Palestinians give each other when left on their own, such as after the Gaza withdrawal. American efforts should concentrate into changing this Arab attitude and not putting the entire burden of accommodating these people by forcing Israel to give up parts of its tiny territory. So, things are a lot more complex than they appear through the world media propaganda.
24. Do you really expect people to buy this crap?
dl ,   usa   (10.04.07)
Mother of all polls was in Jan 2006 when Palestinians have freely elected their leaders and representative by over 70%. In comparison, Bush won elections by 51%.
25. Too bad.
Micha   (10.04.07)
live with it.
26. To #23
Juan ,   Spain   (10.04.07)
Good answer.
27. How many Gazans have posted their agreement with pol here???
Alan ,   SA   (10.04.07)
28. BottomLine:: Muslim Brotherhood(& Hamas) ideology is EVIL !!
KMR ,   Middle East   (10.04.07)
29. They reaped what they sowed pure and simple.
cj ,   usa   (10.04.07)
30. R we supposed to care 'bout their grievances?
Obama ,   Washington DC   (10.05.07)
If they are contented, does it mean peace? Bottom Line: we don't care about ninjas
Back to article