Poll: Palestinians want elections
Published today (updated) 20/06/2010 09:44
Bethlehem - Ma'an - An opinion poll carried out by Fafo in February and May provides reveals Palestinian electoral preferences are changing, the Norwegian-backed research center found.On domestic issues, the poll found that Palestinians are split over a unilateral proclamation of a Palestinian state. They are generally more confident in the Fayyad government and less confident in the Haniyeh government when compared to Fafo’s poll a year ago.
The security services in the West Bank have gained popular confidence, while the security services in Gaza have not, the poll revealed.
Respondents voiced more confidence in the leadership of Fatah than that of Hamas but three in ten respondents said neither was qualified to lead the Palestinian people.
People are greatly in favor of new legislative elections this year (89%) but only if held in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and beleive Hamas should participate (84%). If there were elections today, Fatah would have received considerably more electoral support than Hamas, according to the poll.
Fafo’s polls for 2008, 2009 and 2010 suggest that Hamas received a boost in support after the war in Gaza last year whereas Fatah lost voters, but that the relative strength of the two parties is now back to what it was two years ago. The backing of Hamas in Gaza may even be lower than in 2008, the poll suggests.
However, Fafo said there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the poll data as it said it lacked the party preference of nearly half the electorate. "These are people who refuse to answer the question, claim they do not intend to cast their votes, or do not know which party (or candidate) to support," researchers wrote.
Turning to relations with Israel, the poll found that a larger share of the population favor a halt to rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel than a year ago (61%, up from 53%). Seven in ten think that Palestinians should resist Israel by putting more weight on civil, non-violent means.
Seventy-three percent are favorable to peace negotiations with Israel and believe a freeze in Israeli settlement construction should be a precondition for such talks. The poll recorded enhanced support for a two-state solution.
Fafo implemented the opinion poll in the West Bank between 9 to 15 February and in the Gaza Strip between 8 to 12 May 2010. Interviews took place at 66 fieldwork points in both areas. The respondents were randomly selected individuals aged 18 and above: 960 in the West Bank and 933 in the Gaza Strip — all interviewed face to face.
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