Background: After the remarkable winning of
The Reform and Change block of more that half of the seats of the Legislative
Council, President Mahmoud Abbas asked Hamas to form the new Palestinian
government. Earlier, Israel and the United States avowed that they will not
support a government formed by Hamas; Israel even declared that it will deal
with the new government as an enemy.
The new prime minister made a first step on the path of forming a new
government by engaging in negotiations with the parliamentary coalitions in an
attempt to make them join the new government. The general attitude, however, of
the second largest parliamentary coalition (Fateh) tends to refrain from
participating in a government led by Hamas.
The international position concerning the winning of Hamas is reflected
negatively on the international aid given to the Palestinian Authority. Such
reality threatens of a difficult financial crisis, the signs of which became
apparent through the delay in paying the salaries of the employees of the
public sector.
The
Results: Following are the results of the 19th Palestinian Public Opinion Poll
conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah
National University during the period from March 9 to 11, 2006. The University
sponsors all polls conducted by its Center.
This poll undertakes the expectations and attitudes of the Palestinian people
towards the new PLC, the formation of the new government and its agenda, in
addition to political sympathies and other issues.
The sample included 1361 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 501 persons from the Gaza Strip. The sample was drawn
randomly and the margin of error is about ±3%; still 8.8% of the members of the
sample refused to answer the questionnaire.
* The Opinions represented in the results reflect those of the study; they do
not represent by any means the opinion of An-Najah National University.