Fatah government losing support among Palestinians, poll reveals

MIDDLE EAST:THE US-BACKED Palestinian leadership is losing popular support and the Fatah government is regarded as less legitimate than the rump Hamas cabinet dissolved last July, a new poll has found.

According to a survey of 1,270 Palestinians conducted by the independent Palestinian Centre for Policy and Research, 34 per cent of respondents regard the elected Hamas government led by Ismail Haniyeh as legitimate while 29 per cent favour the appointed cabinet of Salam Fayyed.

Last December, 38 per cent granted legitimacy to Fayyed's government and 30 per cent to that of Haniyeh. Nearly 25 per cent say both are illegitimate.

Today Haniyeh would garner 47 per cent of the vote in a presidential election as compared with 46 per cent for the president, Mahmoud Abbas. Three months ago a poll showed Abbas defeating Haniyeh by 56 to 37 per cent. If the Fatah candidate is Marwan Barghouti, imprisoned by Israel, he would win 57 per cent against Haniyeh's 38 per cent.

In a new parliamentary poll, Fatah would win 42 per cent of votes, Hamas 35 per cent. In December the figures were 46 per cent for Fatah and 34 per cent for Hamas.

The survey, conducted after 129 Palestinians died during Israeli military action in Gaza, showed Hamas is gaining in strength after sustaining losses due to last June's clashes with Fatah.

Khalil Shikaki, who heads the polling operation, said: "This is a major shift in Hamas's favour. Abbas and Fayyad had a six-month window of opportunity to take advantage of their support. Last summer Hamas was shunned. It had lost the ability to sell its political line," which rejects recognition of Israel, an end to resistance and acceptance of agreements signed by Fatah.

Now, he observed, Hamas "is regaining that ability, at the expense of Abbas and his team".