(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - People living in the Palestinian Territories have different views on the adequate way to deal with the current political turmoil, according to a poll by Fafo. 33 per cent of respondents prefer calling and holding an early election, while 31 per cent would re-establish a coalition government with Fatah and Hamas.

In addition, 16 per cent of respondents would enact a nationwide referendum, 14 per cent would institute a Hamas-led government, and six per cent would retain the Fatah administration, currently working out of the West Bank.

Fatah candidate Mahmoud Abbas won the January 2005 presidential ballot 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.

On Feb. 8 in Saudi Arabia, Hamas and Fatah leaders reached an accord which set the guidelines for a power-sharing Palestinian administration, headed by Hamas, which would "respect" past peace agreements with Israel. The new coalition government was sworn in on Mar. 17.

On Jun. 14, amid a wave of violent clashes between Palestinian supporters of the 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.

On Jul. 23, former British prime minister Tony Blair traveled to the Middle East on his first trip as peace envoy, as nominated by the Quartet—which includes the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the United States, and Russia.

James Wolfensohn—a former World Bank president who resigned after only 13 months as Middle East envoy—said Blair's mission might be doomed because Israel and the U.S. never give this position enough clout to negotiate. Wolfensohn declared: "My worry for Tony Blair is that if you read the mandate he has—it's exactly the same as mine."

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