(03/14/09) -

Hamas Gains on Fatah in Palestinian Territories

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The Fatah faction would likely win the next election to the Palestinian Legislative Council, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. 40 per cent of respondents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would vote for Fatah in the next ballot, down two points since December.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The Fatah faction would likely win the next election to the Palestinian Legislative Council, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. 40 per cent of respondents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would vote for Fatah in the next ballot, down two points since December.

The Change and Reform list of Hamas is second with 33 per cent, up five points in three months. 10 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties and 17 remain undecided.

Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas won the January 2005 presidential ballot in the Palestinian Territories with 62.32 per cent of all cast ballots. In January 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council election, securing 74 of the 112 seats at stake. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh officially took over as prime minister in March. The Israeli government believes Hamas is directly responsible for the deaths of 377 citizens in a variety of attacks, which include dozens of suicide bombings.

In February 2007, Hamas and Fatah leaders reached an accord which set the guidelines for a power-sharing Palestinian administration, headed by Hamas. In June, amid a wave of violent clashes between Hamas and Fatah factions, Hamas militants seized control of Gaza. Abbas issued a decree to form a 12-member emergency government based in the West Bank and expelled Hamas from the administration. Fatah member Salam Fayyad was appointed as prime minister by Abbas.

Abbas recently said he plans to extend his tenure until 2010. The extension is part of an Egypt-sponsored plan to foster reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. The current presidential term was supposed to end in January 2009.

Earlier this month, Fayyad announced his resignation, which will take effect "as soon as a unity government is formed with a time limit to the end of March."

Yesterday, Abbas discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "I do not want to say that there are hurdles or obstacles. The talks [between Fatah and Hamas] are difficult and they need effort, good intentions and a real desire to reach reconciliation."

Polling Data

If a parliamentary election were to take place today, which list would you vote for?

Source: Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,270 Palestinian adults in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, conducted from Mar. 5 to Mar. 7, 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.