Anger and lack of confidence prevails in the Palestinian Street

[oberliner]

While Popularity of Hamas Decreases, and Status of Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmud Abbas Declines, and While the Public Loses Confidence in its Leadership, in Most of the Security Services, and in the Various Armed “Brigades,” Three Quarters Demand Early Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

<snip>

·Both sides, Fateh and Hamas are seen as equally responsible for the infighting in the eyes of 59% while 71% believe the two sides are equally losers

·90% describe current Palestinian conditions as very bad or bad while only 6% describe them as good or very good. 28% say they want to immigrate to other countries and 23% say they are not proud of being Palestinians.

·A large percentage (41%) wants the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority but a larger percentage (49%) opposes that. The percentage of those in favor of dissolving the PA is divided among those who want it replaced with international trusteeship (26%) and those who want it replaced with a return to full Israeli occupation (16%).

·Similarly, 42% support the establishment of a confederation with Jordan while 52% opposes that. The percentage of those in favor the confederation solution is divided among those who want it now (25%) and those who want it only later after the establishment of a Palestinian state (17%).

http://www.pcpsr.org/survey/polls/2007/p24epressrelease.html

[barb162]

1. There's only two things that I find somewhat surprising

"If new presidential elections are held today and the only two candidates were Mahmud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh, 40% would not participate in these elections."

The greatest threat to Palestinians today is infighting and lack of law and order in the eyes of 56% followed by poverty in the eyes of 21%, Israeli occupation (12%) and international sanctions and boycott (10%).

[oberliner]

2. 16 percent of Palestinians said they wanted a return to full Israeli occupation

That's what I found most surprising.

Also that almost half want to see an eventual confederation with Jordan.

[barb162]

3. Those are not small percentages, are they.

[LeftishBrit]

7. Not so surprised at either of these (though admittedly I'm not an expert on Palestine)

But as regards the first, there are many countries where close to 40% of people don't vote, in part due to lack of confidence in any of the parties. Given the dramatic failure of the Palestinian leadership, I am surprised in a way that the percentage there is not even higher. Perhaps in the end it will lead to the formation of a new party; if so, I hope it does a better job than the others.

As regards the other statistic, the infighting and breakdown of law and order do indeed seem to be a very serious problem right now, threatening the very lives of ordinary Palestinians in a big way. I doubt that many Palestinians like the Israeli occupation (though I note that 16% would choose a return to full occupation over the current nightmare); and I am sure that poverty is a serious concern there; but neither seems to be currently as acute an issue as the ongoing violence. Not saying that the other problems aren't serious, but the first is the most acute.

[LeftishBrit]

4. There are a lot of different views about the solutions, but more unity about the problems

'Both sides, Fateh and Hamas are seen as equally responsible for the infighting in the eyes of 59% while 71% believe the two sides are equally losers.

90% describe current Palestinian conditions as very bad or bad while only 6% describe them as good or very good.'

Not surprising, but sad.

Is there a serious chance of confederation with Jordan? What is the Jordanian view of this?

[barb162]

5. Don't be surprised if you get no takers on those two questions of yours.

When I looked at that point, I didn't pay huge attention to it as that word "confederation" was so open to interpretation.

[pelsar]

6. jordan nor egypt

really wants a connection to the westbank or gaza.....it will only add "trouble" to their societies. Jordans stability is already precarious, i doubt they would want to add another factor.

As far as the 16% that want israel back, that too is not a surprise. The most important thing for a society is personal security. Under the occupation especially pre intifada I there was. As the palestenians got more and more independance, the personal security level dropped.....

it may not "sound good' in fact for those who see the occupation as the ultimate evil, it will be hard to accept, but the "numbers dont lie"....