84% see the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as victory for Palestinian armed resistance and 40% give Hamas credit for it while 21% give the credit to the Palestinian Authority and 11% give it to Fateh. Nonetheless, 62% oppose and 35% support continued attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip and 60% support and 37% oppose collection of arms from armed factions in Gaza after a full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip. Moreover, 77% support and 22% oppose the current ceasefire.

Almost three quarters (73%) support and 25% oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state with the 1967 lines as its borders that would start first in the Gaza Strip and gradually extend to the West Bank.

Expectations of the future after the Israeli withdrawal are mixed. Optimism prevails, particularly in the Gaza Strip, in the following areas: better economic conditions (64%), progress in the peace process (57%), link between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (57%), viewing the Israeli withdrawal as the end of occupation and the start of independent Palestinian statehood (56%), and believing that further Israeli withdrawals will take place from West Bank settlements in the future (60%). But pessimism remains, particularly in the West Bank, with regard to continued Israeli control over the Rafah crossing thereby making the Gaza Strip a big prison (57%) and the expectation that internal infighting will follow the Israeli withdrawal (60%). It should be noted that the poll was conducted during the period in which Musa Arafat, security advisor to PA president, was assassinated in the Gaza Strip.

In case rockets continue to target Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip, 86% of the Palestinians believe that Israel would most likely carry out a major operation against the Strip or reoccupy it again.

56% oppose and 37% support the suicide attack that took place in Beer Sheva around the end of August.

Findings show that 74% of the Palestinians will participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in January 2006. Voting intentions among the likely participants indicate an increase of Fateh?s support from 44% last June to 47% in this poll and a drop in Hamas? support from 33% to 30% during the same period. 11% will vote for other factions and groups and 11% remain undecided.

From among eight vital considerations in voting for election lists,

Hamas is the most able to fight corruption (receiving 46% vs. 37% to Fateh) and to insure the continuation of the intifada (receiving 62% vs. 24% to Fateh).

Fateh is perceived as the most able to improve the economy (receiving 46% vs. 31% for Hamas), to push the peace process forward (receiving 64% for Fateh vs. 21% for Hamas), to protect national unity (receiving 44% vs. 37% for Hamas), to enforce law and order (receiving 54% vs. 31% for Hamas) and to protect refugee rights (receiving 44% for Fateh and 37% for Hamas).

Poverty/unemployment is the most serious problem confronting Palestinians today in the eyes of 40% of the public, followed by Israeli occupation measures (25%), corruption (25%), and finally internal anarchy and chaos (8%).

In a closed question, in a contest for the office of PA president between Mahmud Abbas (Fateh), Mahmud Zahhar (Hamas), and Mustafa Barghouti (others), Abbas comes first with 44% followed by Zahhar with 21% and Barghouti with 19%.

In a closed question, in a contest over the office of vice president, Marwan Barghouti receives the greatest level of support with 24% followed by Mahmud Zahhar with 14%, Ismail Haniyyah with 13%, Mohammad Dahlan and Mustafa Barghouti with 9% each, Farouq Qaddoumi with 8%, and finally Ahmad Qurai and Saeb Erikat with 6% each. In a closed question, in a contest over the office of prime minister, Marwan Barghouti comes first with 30% followed by Zahhar with 22%, Mustafa Barghouti with 17%, and Qurai and Dahlan with 8% each.

Public satisfaction with the performance of PA president Mahmud Abbas increases from 60% last June to 64% in this poll.

 ? PCPSR