Half of Palestinians want PA dismantled

From Ynetnews 26/3/06 by Hamas Ali Waked

Following Jericho prison operation, Fatah senior officials call on Abbas to dismantle PA after what they call 'the humiliation.' Poll shows 75 percent of Palestinians satisfied with government assembled

Almost half of Palestinians support the dismantlement of the Palestinian Authority, a new poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, headed by Dr. Nabil Kukali showed. .... the number of those who supported the move was surprising and significant......

Ynet published calls by senior Fatah officials for the PA to be disbanded , due to what they said was "the humiliation" it and PA security members experienced following the IDF's Jericho prison raid. Following the same event, 85.5 percent of 1,068 respondents said that they did not trust Israel's commitment to stick to the agreements it signed with the Palestinian Authority. The poll also showed that 88 percent of those asked demanded that the United States and Britain pressure Israel into freeing PFLP chief Ahmed Saadat and the remainder of prisoners taken from the Jericho prison two weeks ago.

With that, 50.7 percent of those asked said they opposed harming innocent civilians or striking EU offices, or those of other offices, incidents which took place after the Jericho raid.

Satisfaction with Hamas
..... Some 74.4 percent of respondents are satisfied with the government assembled by Hamas, and 64.8 percent said they believed that Hamas must distinguish between its plans as a political party and its platform as a ruling party. About 52 percent of those asked do not want Hamas to recognize agreements signed with Israel, as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas demands.

A further statistic strengthening Hamas shows that despite the lack of Fatah participation and PLO factions in the new government, 60.8 percent said they were optimistic about the future, compared with 36.5 percent who said they did not foresee good days for the Authority. Nearly 50 percent said they believed the unilateral steps planned by Ehud Olmert will cause a continuation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Some 30 percent of those asked said that a unilateral withdrawal by Israel from the West Bank will strengthen Hamas and weaken Fatah, compared to 12 percent who believe that it will strengthen Fatah and weaken Hamas.

Regarding the Israeli elections, 18.6 percent said they thought the Labor party was the best party for a solution to the conflict, while 17.6 percent said they thought Kadima is more appropriate for the mission. Some 15 percent said the Likud was best equipped to do it.