Poll: Large Majority of Palestinians Want Immediate Elections

 Published on Thursday, 21 February 2013
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php/national/4007-poll-large-majority-of-palestinians-want-immediate-elections
PNN

A large majority of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank support holding immediate presidential and legislative elections, a new poll published Thursday said.

The poll, by the Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) and reported by WAFA, said 95% of Gaza residents and 82% of West Bank residents support the holding of immediate legislative and presidential elections.

The results found that support for Fatah is back to the same level as it was in July 2012 and reached 42%, up from 37% in December 2012, while support for Hamas has declined by four percentage points to 18% since December.

Approval rate for President Mahmoud Abbas stood at 58% in the new poll compared to 45% for Hamas leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh. Approval rate for Prime Minister Salam Fayyad stood at 39%.
In a two-way presidential race, Abbas could receive 64% of the votes compared to 36% for Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal or Haniyeh.

For the position of a prime minister in a national unity government, 28% prefer Haniyeh while 23% prefer Fayyad.

Fayyad is more popular in Gaza than in the West Bank, so is Fatah, according to the poll results.
The poll said 68% of respondents support a return to negotiations with Israel if it were to stop settlement building in the West Bank.

At the same time, 69% said popular protest activities such as the erection of the Bab al-Shams camp could have real impact on ending the Israeli occupation, while at the same time 65% said they oppose a new Intifada.

The belief that the UN vote admitting Palestine as a non-member observer state has advanced the Palestinian cause declined from 68% to 44%.

The poll included 1200 Palestinians from around the West Bank and Gaza from across socioeconomic groups.  It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

MOST RECENT POLL: A majority of Palestinian youth express their support for a two-state solution (Israel and Palestine within the 1967 boarders).

http://www.americantaskforce.org/daily_news_article/2012/02/01/1328072400_13

Results of a Specialized Opinion Poll among Palestinian Youth: Activism, Political Efficacy,Palestinian Internal Politics, Elections, Arab Spring and Negotiations

AWRAD

February 1, 2012 - 12:00am
http://www.awrad.org/etemplate.php?id=275&x=4

Fieldwork: 15-17 January 2012

Sample Size: 1200 Palestinian Youth (18-30 years old)
West Bank & Gaza
Margin of error: + 3 %

Highlights:

•The majority of youth are skeptical about the direction where the Palestinian society is heading.

•48 percent of youth respondents describe themselves as politically very active.

•20 percent of the youth participated in activities directed at ending the internal division.

•72 percent are willing to participate in protest activities against the occupation.

•A vast majority of youth (87 percent) have confidence in the ability of their generation to lead the country into the future. However, 57 percent of Palestinian youth feel that they personally cannot have an impact on public life.

•43 percent of the youth respondents believe that the changes taking place elsewhere in the Arab world will positively affect the Palestinian situation.

•A majority of youth (52 percent) express their support for a two-state solution (Israel and Palestine within the 1967 boarders).

•A majority of youth (59 percent) blame Fatah and Hamas equally for the division.

•Half of the youth believe that non-violence is the best means to end the occupation and establish an independent state.

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ATFP World Press Roundup: Middle East News

ATFP is dedicated to advocating that it is in the American national interest to promote an end to the conflict in the Middle East through a negotiated agreement that provides for two states - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security. The Task Force was established in 2003 to provide an independent voice for Palestinian-Americans and their supporters and to promote peace. AFTP’s Board of Directors is made up of a large group of noted Palestinian-Americans who agree with these principles.

ATFP works primarily in Washington, DC, and seeks to build strong working relationships with government departments and agencies, think tanks and NGOs and the media. It has developed lines of communication with the US, Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian governments in order to pursue its policy advocacy goals. ATFP has also engaged in humanitarian fundraising to support health and education causes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

ATFP is strictly opposed to all acts of violence against civilians no matter the cause and no matter who the victims or perpetrators may be. The Task Force advocates the development of a Palestinian state that is democratic, pluralistic, non-militarized and neutral in armed conflicts.