Middle East - Survey among Palestinians: Hamas on the rise, Abbas out
According to a survey, the reputation of the Islamist Hamas has risen sharply in the West Bank following its bloody attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead and triggered the Gaza war. This was the result of a survey published on Wednesday by the Palestinian polling institute PSR, which is considered to be reputable. 44 percent of people in the West Bank supported Hamas, compared to just 12 percent in September.
In the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military offensive to destroy Hamas has already killed more than 18,600 people, injured almost 50,600 and caused major destruction, Hamas' popularity also rose, albeit to a lesser extent, from 38% to 42%. Meanwhile, the popularity of the more moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas continued to fall. According to the survey, 88 percent of respondents were in favor of his resignation.
However, opinions differ between Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as to whether the Hamas attack on Israel more than two months ago was the right thing to do. While 82 percent in the West Bank were in favor of the attack, only 57 percent in the directly affected coastal strip were. However, only 1% of respondents in the West Bank and 17% in the Gaza Strip believe that Israel could achieve its war aim of destroying Hamas. Almost two thirds expect Hamas to continue to rule the Gaza Strip in the future.
90 percent of those surveyed stated that Hamas had not committed any atrocities in Israel, as evidenced by videos and testimonies from survivors. A large majority accuses Israel's Western supporters, above all the USA, of moral failure in view of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. A majority also believes that the Western countries' advocacy of a two-state solution is not really meant seriously.
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Source: www.stern.de
