Background
The Palestinian leadership
finally resolved to participate in the Annapolis conference despite the fact
that more than one Palestinian official declared that the conference is
destined to fail. President Abu Mazen confirmed that he will not accept any
political offer that late President Arafat rejected.Hamas movement and the
dissolved (by President Abbas) government launched a severe attack against the
participants in the Annapolis Conference considering the Conference an attempt
to compromise the Palestinian fixed and nonnegotiable rights. Hamas and the
Palestinian factions in Damascus failed to hold a conference to counter
Annapolis. The counter conference was supposed to take place in Damascus but
was postponed sine die.The aggressions, as
testified by recognized jurists, committed by the Executive Force in Gaza
against the citizens who went out to commemorate the third anniversary of the
departure of Abu Ammar stirred a wave of Palestinian official and popular
responses. What is important is the rift made between the two Palestinian
conflicting factions at a time when unity is a much needed demand especially as
the date of the Annapolis Conference is approaching.The Results
Following are the results of the Palestinian Public Opinion Poll No. 31
conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah
National University during the period from 15-17 November, 2007. The University
sponsors all polls conducted by its Center.Palestinian public opinion
poll no. 31 undertakes the current political realities especially the incidents
that took place in the Gaza Strip, the domination of Hamas over the Strip, the
accompanying development on the Palestinian arena, the Annapolis Conference in
addition to political affiliations.The sample included 1360
persons whose age group is 18 and above and who have the right to vote. The
enclosed questionnaire was distributed on 860 persons from the West Bank and
500 persons from the Gaza Strip. The sample was drawn randomly and the margin
of error is about ±3%; still 4.2% of the members of the sample refused to
answer the questionnaire.