A new poll in the Palestinian street

Marwan Barghouti is the strongest candidate versus Hamas candidate

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, conducted a new opinion poll in the period between March 5-7 (March) 2009. The interviews were conducted face to face with a random sample of 1270 adults, in 127 residential sites; the percentage of error is 3%. The poll states:

The results of the first quarter of 2009 leading to a rise in the popularity of Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas movement, and a decline in the popularity of President Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah movement. Also show a decline in the prominent status and the legitimacy of Salam Fayyad’s government. Nevertheless, Fatah's popularity remains higher than the popularity of Hamas. It appears that the most important influencing factors to the public opinion are the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and the performance of President Abbas and Salam Fayyad’s Government during the war. The public also believes that the term of President Abbas and the Fayyad government had ended, consequently, the loss of some of its legitimacy.

The gap between the popularity of President Mahmoud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh is reduced by two points in favor of Haniyeh. If presidential elections were held today between Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Ismail Haniyeh, the results are 45% for Abbas and 47% for Haniyeh. If elections were held three months ago, Abu Mazen was 48% and Haniyeh 38%.

But if the competition was between Marwan Barghouti and Ismail Haniyeh, only, Barghouti gets 61% and 34% for Haniyeh.  If elections were held three months ago, Barghouti was 59% and Haniyeh 32%.

Hamas's popularity rises from 28% three months ago to 33% in this poll and the popularity of Fatah from 42% to 40% during the same period. The gap between the popularity of Fatah and Hamas is  12 degrees in Gaza Strip (for Fatah) to 3 degrees in the West Bank only (for Fatah as well).

9/3/2009