Palestinian Public Opinion Polls No. 29
Date
2007-07
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
An-Najah National University/ Opinion Polls and Survey Studies Unit
Abstract
The PLO Central Council called for conducting early elections for the Presidency and the Legislative Council of the Palestinian Authority (PA). While Fateh supported the call, Hamas rejected it considering early elections illegitimate since the call for such elections came from an institution which, according to a Hamas leader, has already lost its validity. President Abbas has repeatedly emphasized that he will not negotiate with Hamas since it has turned its back to legitimacy and that he is no longer concerned with the Cairo accords whose terms call for reactivating the PLO to include Hamas among its members.
The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) has failed repeatedly to convene since the incidents of Gaza despite the urgent need for a PLC meeting to vote on granting a motion of confidence to the new government.
On the international political level, President Bush called for an international conference (meeting) in which the PA and Israel participate, in addition to a number of Arab countries; the PA welcomed the call.
Locally, the PA called on all "wanted" people to hand in their arms and join the Palestinian security apparatuses. In support of this move, Israel issued a list of the names of "wanted" people with the promise that it will cease pursuing them if they commit themselves to the PA's call. Al-Aqsa Brigades accepted the call while other factions and armed groups rejected it. In the meanwhile Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners.