March 15, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in the Palestinian Territories would support a truce with Israel, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO). 73 per cent of respondents are in favour of a truce.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in the Palestinian Territories would support a truce with Israel, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO). 73 per cent of respondents are in favour of a truce.

When asked about the deployment of multinational forces in the Gaza Strip, 59.2 per cent of respondents reject the idea.

Fatah candidate 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, which would "respect" past peace agreements with Israel. In June, 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. 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 United States 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 has been launching 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. Over the past 15 days, more than 130 Palestinians have died in raids by Israeli forces in Gaza.

On Mar. 12, Haniyeh called for an end to Israeli military activity in Gaza, a lifting of Israeli economic sanctions, and the opening of Gaza’s borders, saying, "We are talking about a mutual comprehensive tahdia, which means that the enemy must fulfill its obligations. (...) The Israelis must stop the aggression including assassinations and invasions, end the sanctions and open the borders."

"Tahdia" is understood as a truce that does not necessarily amount to a full, formal ceasefire. Israel rejects calls for a truce, saying it fears Hamas will use a period of calm to regroup and reorganize in order to attack Israel.

Polling Data

What’s your attitude towards a Palestinian - Israeli truce at present?

I strongly support it	37.8%
I somewhat support it	35.2%
I somewhat oppose it	14.5%
I strongly oppose it	9.8%
I don’t know	2.7%

Do you support or oppose the deployment of multinational forces in Gaza Strip ?

I strongly support it	13.4%
I somewhat support it	25.0%
I somewhat oppose it	26.3%
I strongly oppose it	32.9%
I don’t know	2.3%

Source: Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO)
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,220 Palestinian adults in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, conducted from Feb. 22 to Mar. 6, 2008. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.