Palestinian Poll--What They Think of Hamas

With the exception of question 8, Hamas comes out the worse against Fatah in this poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. Why does Hamas not come out at the bottom of that question?

Because Israel is one of the choices.

First, a question about the man that the US and Israel have decided should be the continued leader of the PA.

01)	Are you satisfied or not satisfied with the performance of Mahmud Abbas since his election as president of the PA?
	1) Very satisfied	6.1	4.2	9.6
	2) Satisfied	38.4	37.5	40.2
	3) Not satisfied	36.1	39.4	30.3
	4) not satisfied at all	14.7	12.7	18.2
	5) DK/NA	4.6	6.2	1.7
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

Considering how they feel about Abbas, what does question 2 really reveal how they feel about Haniyeh and Hamas?

02)	If new presidential elections are to take place today, and Mahmud Abbas was nominated by Fateh and Ismail Haniyeh was nominated by Hamas, whom would you vote for?
	1) Mahmoud Abbas	58.8	60.4	56.7
	2) Ismael Haneyyeh	36.3	33.6	39.8
	3 DK/NA	4.9	6.0	3.5
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

07)	Hamas carried out a military step in mid June against security headquarters belonging to the PA in the Gaza Strip and succeeded after that in controlling the Strip. Do you approve or disapprove of what Hamas did?
	1) Strongly approve	5.6	2.3	11.3
	2) Approve	16.4	14.8	19.3
	3) Disapprove	43.2	48.7	33.5
	4) Strongly disapprove	30.1	27.9	34.1
	5) DK/NA	4.7	6.3	1.8
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

08)	After the events in the Gaza Strip and the assertion of control by Hamas, the Rafah Crossing, the only access to Egypt, was closed completely. Who in your view is the most responsible party for the closure of the Crossing: Hamas, Fateh, Israel, or Egypt?
	1) Egypt	2.4	2.5	2.1
	2) Fateh	14.7	12.1	19.2
	3) Hamas	26.0	22.0	33.1
	4) Israel	40.9	44.8	34.1
	5) Other (________________)	7.5	8.0	6.6
	6) DK/NA	8.5	10.6	4.8
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

10)	President Mahmud Abbas dismissed the government of Ismail Haniyeh after the Gaza events about three months ago. But the prime minister of the dismissed government remained in his position in the Gaza Strip. Do you approve or disapprove of his decision to stay in his position?
	1) Strongly approve	9.2	5.8	15.1
	2) Approve	31.2	32.6	28.9
	3) Disapprove	38.0	40.4	33.8
	4) Strongly disapprove	14.0	12.1	17.4
	5) DK/NA	7.6	9.1	4.8
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

11)	Tell us how do you evaluate the performance of the dismissed government of Ismail Haniyeh in the Gaza Strip? Is it good or bad?
	1) Very Good	8.9	5.7	14.6
	2) Good	22.6	22.0	23.6
	3) Neither good nor bad	18.8	18.4	19.7
	4) Bad	27.2	29.3	23.5
	5) Very Bad	15.5	14.5	17.1
	6) No Opinion/Don’t know	7.0	10.2	1.5
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

16)	After the separation between Gaza and the West Bank, Hamas and the government of Ismail Haniyeh remained in power in Gaza and considered itself the legitimate government while president Abu Mazin formed a new government headed by Salam Fayyad and it too considered itself legitimate. What about you, which of the two government you consider legitimate, the government of Haniyeh or the government of Abu Mazin and Fayyad?
	1) Haniyehs’ government is the legitimate one	29.8	26.9	35.0
	2) Abu Mazin’s and Fayyad government is the legitimate one	37.5	37.5	37.4
	3) Both governments are legitimate	5.1	5.2	4.8
	4) Both governments are not legitimate	21.9	23.8	18.6
	5) DK/NA	5.8	6.6	4.3
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

19)	Fateh and Hamas and the two authorities in Gaza and the West Bank are currently engaged in a competition to win public support and confidence through the use of media such as Palestine TV and al Aqsa TV stations. When you hear news from the two sides, which side you trust more, the news spread by Hamas and Haniyeh’s government or the news spread by Fateh and the Abu Mazin’s and Fayyad’s government?
	1) Trust Hamas and Haniyeh’s government	19.4	15.3	26.5
	2) Trust Fateh and Abu Mazin’s and Salam’s governemtn	26.8	25.1	29.7
	3) Trust both sides	2.9	3.6	1.8
	4) Trust neither side	45.3	50.0	37.2
	5) DK/NA	5.6	6.1	4.7
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

If Hamas is not popular, especially in Gaza, it is because it has overplayed its hand--especially considering that they are the religious group.

22)	Generally, do you see yourself as:
	1) Religious	47.6	39.6	61.5
	2) Somewhat religious	47.6	53.6	37.0
	3) Not religious	4.4	6.2	1.3
	4) DK/NA	0.4	0.5	0.3
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

Considering that peace has come to mean the gradually making of concessions by Israel, I suppose it makes sense that Gazans would favor 'peace'....

23)	Generally, do you see yourself as:
	1) Supportive of the peace process	71.4	65.7	81.3
	2) Opposed to the peace process	13.2	15.4	9.2
	3) Between support and opposition	14.6	18.0	8.8
	4) DK/NA	0.8	0.8	0.7
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

....and that definition of peace would explain the gap between those would support peace and those who support recognition of Israel.

32)	There is a proposal that after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the settlemnet [sic] of all issues in dispute, including the refugees and Jerusalem issues, there will be a mutual recognition of Israel as the state of the Jewish people and Palestine as the state of the Palestinians people. Do you agree or disagree to this proposal?
	1) Definitely agree	10.6	8.9	13.6
	2) agree	46.5	46.3	46.8
	3) disagree	28.8	31.8	23.6
	4) definitely disagree	12.6	11.7	14.3
	5) DK/NA	1.5	1.4	1.6
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

33)	And what is the Palestinian majority opinion on this issue? Do most Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza support or oppose the recognition of Israel as the state of the Jewish people and Palestine as the state of the Palestinian people at the end of the peace process?
	1) Majority supports	52.9	52.4	53.8
	2) Majority opposes	34.6	36.1	32.0
	3) DK/NA	12.5	11.5	14.1
		Total	West Bank	Gaza Strip

But now that Hamas and Fatah are (again) talking to each other, what Palestinians think is not really relevant (again).

Technorati Tag: Hamas and Fatah and Poll.