Brit Tzedek v’Shalom

Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace

YnetNews

March 12, 2006
Ali Waked

According to A-Najah University, 58.5 percent of respondents in poll satisfied with results of January legislative elections

Most Palestinians are content with Hamas’ victory in parliamentary elections and believe the Islamic group can improve their lives, a poll published Sunday shows.

According to A-Najah University, 58.5 percent of respondents in the poll expressed their satisfaction with the results of the January legislative elections.

The poll also found that a Palestinian majority believes the new Hamas-led government should recognize agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Of 1361 respondents, 59 percent replied in the positive to the question whether agreements should be kept in place as opposed to 35 percent who said that respecting past agreements is not compulsory.

About 55 percent said Hamas should recognize Israel’s right to exist only if the Jewish State withdraws to the 1967 border.

As the Palestinian Authority teeters on the edge of bankruptcy with major international donors threatening to cut crucial aid, 61 percent of respondents believe Hamas will be able to convince donors to sustain aid to the cash-strapped Authority.

Israel halted the monthly transfer of USD 50 million in tax rebates last month, saying it will not fund a Palestinian government led by Hamas, so long the Islamic group has not cancelled a key provision in its charter calling for its destruction.

Some 65 percent of respondents are of the opinion that Hamas will improve the poor living standards and scale back high unemployment rates in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

A staggering 80 percent of respondents believe Hamas will improve basic services like health and education.

As for the boiling internal agenda, 88 percent backed Hamas’ efforts to form a national unity government with other factions, and 75 percent oppose Hamas unilaterally forming a government. Hamas won the elections running on a platform of fighting corruption, improving socio-economic conditions, and implementing a series of reforms in education and health.

Despite Hamas’ radical Islamic ideology, 70 percent of respondents believe the new government will have a clean human rights record. About 70 percent say the Hamas-dominated parliament will serve an honest term.