Palestinian Public Opinion Polls No. 25

Abstract

President Mahmoud Abbas declared his intention to conduct early ‎Presidential and Legislative ‎elections after the wavering of the ‎negotiations on the formation of a unity government. Prime ‎Minister ‎rejected the early elections dismissing the idea as an illegal move which is ‎meant to ‎bypass the people's choice. On the other side, the Executive ‎Committee of the Palestinian ‎Liberation Organization (PLO) advised ‎Abbas to dissolve the current Government since it is ‎incapable of ‎running Palestinian affairs.‎ In its attempt to uplift the international siege imposed on it, the ‎Palestinian Government ‎represented by the Prime Minister, ministers ‎and PLC members paid visits to some Arab and ‎Islamic countries.‎ The congestion between the Presidential Institutions and the Prime ‎Minister is reflected violently ‎on the Palestinian streets; some bloody ‎confrontations took place between Fateh and Hamas, ‎especially in the ‎Gaza Strip.‎ Within the same frame, earnest efforts are currently paid to rescue the ‎Palestinians from their ‎crisis; some news leaked out on the possibility of ‎reaching an agreement that would lead to the ‎formation of a unity ‎government and the distribution of the major portfolios between Fateh ‎and ‎Hamas.‎ In another positive development, the Government held a meeting with ‎the Trade Union which led ‎to putting an end to the four-month old strike ‎of the employees of the public sector.‎