(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two thirds of adults in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank want Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas to remain in office as president of the Palestinian Authority, according to a poll by Near East Consulting. 67 per cent of respondents would support extending the term of Abbas, while 37 per cent would oppose it.

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. 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.

In November 2007, Abbas and leaders from the United States, Israel and several Arab countries attended an international conference on Middle East affairs in Annapolis, Maryland. The meeting was brokered by U.S. president George W. Bush. On Nov. 27, Abbas and Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert announced they would work towards having a peace treaty signed by the end of 2008, which would include the creation of a Palestinian state.

The Islamic Jihad organization began to launch Qassam rockets into Israel from Gaza almost daily since Hamas took control of the territory. Israel holds Hamas responsible for the attacks for allowing the Islamic Jihad and other groups to act against Israel. In January, Israel completely sealed off its borders with the Gaza Strip and launched military operations in Gaza.

In May, Israeli and Palestinian delegates began to negotiate a ceasefire in Egypt. On Jun. 17, Egypt announced that a "calm agreement" had been reached between Israel and Hamas. The deal took effect on Jun. 19, and entails Gaza’s Hamas rulers halting rocket and mortar fire on Israeli border communities, while Israel is to increase the flow of goods into Gaza. The fragile truce is still in place.

Abbas recently said he plans to extend his tenure until 2010. The extension is part of the Egypt-sponsored plan to foster reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. On Oct. 9, the Palestine News Agency reported that Hamas officials would agree with Abbas extending his term "for six months."

Abbas’s presidency is due to end in January 2009.

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose extending the presidential term of Mahmoud Abbas?

Source: Near East Consulting
Methodology: Interviews with 945 Palestinian adults, conducted in September 2008. Margin of error is 3.19 per cent.

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