Thursday, August 02, 2007

Palestinian Poll

Negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis seem to building a healthy lather, with the potential to deal with the "fundamental issues", once and for all. One of the stumbling blocks in some quarters- is the Abbas government legitimate? Afterall, democracy is the supposed pillar of legitimacy in the eyes of the west. Isolating Hamas creates some obvious problems, depending on your point of view.

A few weeks ago, there was a poll of Gaza residents, which seemed to show that Hamas didn't enjoy the support of Palestinians in that terrority. I saw a far more comprehensive poll today, including all Palestinians, which suggests that Fatah can claim pseudo legitimacy as representative of the people:
If presidential elections were conducted in the present time to whom would you give your vote?

The Fatah candidate
55.3%

The Hamas candidate
15.8%

Other / Not sure
18.9%



If legislative elections were conducted in the present time to whom would you give your vote?

Fatah candidates
54.4%

Hamas candidates
16.4%

Other / Not sure
29.2%

Source: An-Najah National University
Methodology: Interviews with 1,361 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, conducted on Jul. 25 to Jul. 27, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

I don't mean to argue a couple of polls usurps actual voting, but an fair read of this finding shows Fatah with overwhelming support. At the very least, the idea that the legitimate voice of the Palestinians has been silenced in negotiations is less persuasive. The polls finding would also lend itself to the idea that Abbas is justified in calling early elections, logistics aside.

The support for Hamas looks to have waned, despite the takeover. In fact, IMHO, the Hamas electoral surge was always more a protest against a corrupt and ineffective Fatah, than it was an actual endorsement of a radical agenda.

6 comments:

Karen said...

In fact, IMHO, the Hamas electoral surge was always more a protest against a corrupt and ineffective Fatah, than it was an actual endorsement of a radical agenda.

Indeed, though I'm not sure a western "lens" is the best guide, in fact I'm sure it's not.

It seems to me that everytime we read into these matters, we're shown to be fools the next day.

All I mean by that is, our expectation is always high when we see it fitting our paradigm, (over used, old term, I know).

When we look at Afghnistan, the line is "it's an elected government and it was democratic". That's garbage, thus the make-up of the current government.

Voters didn't vote on issues, history of the candidate, etc., they voted on who they knew, through a picture and who intimidated them the most...mostly in rural areas.

To be honest, I'm losing my mind that these minorities rule the day, in the end. (I understand that you showed polls contrary to that, but it had better be shown on the ground quickly).

Steve V said...

The western "lens" is akin to coke bottles :) Having said that, there does appear some opportunity at the moment, let's see who's brave.

wilson said...

It appears that Canada (PMSH)taking a stand and not supporting Hamas was the right move.

No more rallys for Duceppe and Coderre?

Anonymous said...

western polls and western people, and your looking at all this in a western view, like the last time, these same polls said hamas was not even in the picture, and they won big. u r reporting what is basically propaganda, well done wannabe journalist, stop reading what the the main media reports and research first, before bloging...

Steve V said...

anon

Who conducted the poll dipshit??

wilson

Every western government took the same stand, there was nothing courageous about it. Which government listed Hamas as a terrorist organization? Quick.

Anonymous said...

Let's put it this way.

The Bolsheviks would not win an election if it was held in the early months of 1917.

Neither would FARC, the Sandinistas, and all democratic parties in Eastern Europe in 1989.

Opinion polls do not reflect the success of a revolution. It happens all of a sudden. Fatah could lose power and the Palestinians would be waving Green Hamas flags in Ramallah, all in joyous celebration as when the Berlin Wall fell down.