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Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Israelis Favour Backing Abbas in West Bank
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Israel agree with their government's decision to support the Palestinian Authority president in establishing an emergency administration in the West Bank, according to a poll by the Maagar Mochot released by Israel Radio. 47 per cent of respondents think Israel should help Mahmoud Abbas.
Fatah candidate Abbas won the January 2005 presidential election 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, Hamas and Fatah agreed to establish a power-sharing Palestinian administration, headed by Hamas, which would "respect" past peace agreements with Israel. On Jun. 14, amid a wave of violent clashes between supporters of the two 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. 43 per cent of respondents think Israel should launch a military attack against Hamas in Gaza, while 32 per cent disagree.
On Jun. 28, Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad, a Fatah member, saluted the selection of former British prime minister Tony Blair as an envoy for peace in the Middle East, saying, "We welcome this appointment and look forward to working with him." Blair was chosen by The Quartet—which encompasses the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the United States and Russia—to advance peace negotiations in the region.
Polling Data
Should Israel help Mahmoud Abbas in Judea and Samaria?
Yes | 47% |
No | 38% |
Other | 15% |
Should Israel launch a military attack against Hamas in Gaza today?
Yes | 43% |
No | 32% |
Other | 15% |
Source: Maagar Mochot / Israel Radio
Methodology: Interviews with 512 Israeli adults, conducted on Jun. 20, 2007. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.