Public Opinion Poll # 22: Withdrawal from Gaza, President’s Performance, and Legislative Elections
By Birzeit University Development Studies Program
October 12, 2005

Main Results:

An increase in the President Performance Index (PPI) from 33% (during April 2005) to 40%1.

There is a noticeable increase of support for President M. Abbas in Gaza Strip, where the PPI jumped from 33% to 45% (12 points more)

Wide support of President Abbas' measures concerning the security situation in Gaza, where more than 82% of the respondents supported his effort in putting an end to the misuse of arms, chaos and public insecurity.

51% of the respondents believe that President Abbas is capable of implementing his platform in regard to arms’ chaos and insecurity.

More than 74% of the respondents support a truce with Israel; in Gaza support for a truce reaches 83%.

72% expressed their opposition to militant parades, carried out by some factions; the percentage of opposition in Gaza Strip increases to 82%.

60% of the respondents still oppose the disarming of the various military groups (brigades). The percentage of opposition to disarming in Gaza is 50%, while the percentage of support is 45%.

Around 70% expect that there will be an improvement in the functioning of the governmental institutions following the Israeli unilateral disengagement and 61% expect reinforcing the rule of law.

A Fateh bloc (headed by Marwan Barghouthi) would win 46% of the votes, while Hamas bloc (if headed by Az- Zahhar) would win 23% of the votes. The National Initiative (Al- Mubadara) would gain 7% of the vote (if headed by Mustafa Barghouthi). On the other hand, a bloc comprised of both the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) (headed by Ahmad Sa'adat) would gain 2.5%. The Peoples’ Party - PPP (headed by Bassam Salhi) would gain about 1.4%. What is worth mentioning here is that there will be a different voting pattern emerges with a change in leadership of the blocs.

Marwan Barghouthi is the most popular candidate inside and outside Fateh, where he gets 55% of the votes when compared with other Fateh candidates. Az- Zahhar is the most popular candidate of Hamas' bloc (46%). Mustafa Barghouthi is the most popular among the candidates of the (Third Way) at 53%.

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