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Olmert to snub Carter over Hamas visit

Hamas gaining public support

By Joshua Mitnick
March 18, 2008

TEL AVIV — Recent rising turmoil in the Gaza Strip has bolstered public sympathy for Hamas at the expense of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah party, according to a recent survey by a prominent Palestinian pollster.

If an election were held between Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Mr. Abbas, the results would be too close to call, compared with a 19-point cushion enjoyed by the Palestinian president in December, according the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.

Mr. Haniyeh's popularity is at its highest point since Hamas' landslide parliamentary victory two years ago, while Mr. Abbas and Fatah have been hurt by their perceived inability to bring change.

Hamas has been helped by Israel's military incursion in Gaza, which left more than 100 Palestinians dead, and its decision to breach a border wall with Egypt, allowing Gazans to stock up on goods in short supply because of Israel's economic blockade. Mr. Abbas has been hurt by the failure of U.S.-sponsored peace talks with Israel to ease hardship for Palestinians.

"I don't dispute the results. I'm worried about it," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

"Abbas was elected on a mandate to deliver peace, to deliver economic prosperity, and on the ground, nothing has changed. People see the settlement construction continuing."

Indeed, the results are an indication that U.S.-sponsored peace talks between Israel and Mr. Abbas are hurting rather than bolstering the Palestinian leader.

Some 47 percent of respondents said they'd vote for Mr. Haniyeh, while 46 percent indicated Mr. Abbas, a statistical dead heat because of a three percentage point margin of error.

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