Majority of Palestinians oppose Abbas' actions against Gaza

The results of a public poll conducted in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have revealed that the vast majority of the Palestinian public reject the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) actions in the Gaza Strip.

The results of the survey conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research yesterday revealed that 84 per cent of the respondents oppose the PA’s suspension of payments for Gaza electricity while 88 per cent oppose the authority’s decision to suspend paying the salaries of Gaza employees.

Forty per cent of the respondents say the move aims to impose economic pressure on Gazans to force them to reject Hamas’ rule while 37 per cent say it aims to force them to accept its conditions for reconciliation.

Read: PA orders Hamas to abide by Abbas’ plan

The poll results, which took place between 29 June and 1 July 2017 indicate that the vast majority – 91 per cent – opposes the suspension of paying prisoners salaries while nearly half of them believes the PA will succumb to foreign pressure and stop the payments. The survey shows that 50 per cent believe the formation of a joint administration for the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Fatah’s suspended member, Mohammed Dahlan, will lead to a complete separation between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Thirty-eight per cent did not expect this to lead to complete separation.

The survey shows that 50 per cent believe the formation of a joint administration for the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Fatah’s suspended member, Mohammed Dahlan, will lead to a complete separation between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Thirty-eight per cent did not expect this to lead to complete separation.

Forty-eight per cent opposed such an agreement between Hamas and Dahlan while 40 per cent supported it.

The centre noted that the percentage of support for the Hamas-Dahlan agreement in the Gaza Strip was 61 per cent compared to 29 per cent in the West Bank.

Gaza Strip was 61 per cent compared to 29 per cent in the West Bank.

The percentage of those who want President Mahmoud Abbas to resign was 62 per cent whilst 31 per cent want him to stay in office.