The Polls: What the Palestinians Really Voted For [Whitewashing the vote]

MSNBCNewsweek International ^ | 1-29-06 | Khalil Shikaki

[SJackson]

Feb. 6, 2006 issue - The results of last week's Palestinian elections certainly were a shock to the political system. While everyone expected Hamas to do very well, no polls predicted that the Islamist party would win a majority of the seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council. But despite all the hand-wringing over whether Palestinians have suddenly taken a more extremist turn, a closer look at the numbers reveals a more complex picture.

For one thing, Hamas received only 45 percent of the popular vote. The nature of the electoral system, which magnified the existing fragmentation of Hamas's opposition, is what gave the Islamist movement the 58 percent of the seats it won. The divided Fatah and four other secular parties won a majority of the popular vote—55 percent—but only 39 percent of the seats. (A handful of independent candidates won the rest.)

Hamas's support in the wider population is even lower. To be sure, its popularity has been growing. Five years of intifada, starting in September 2000, bolstered the party's image; many Palestinians supported Hamas's bombing attacks against Israelis, which they viewed as a justified response to Israel's disproportionate use of force against, and collective punishment of, the civilian population. The unfulfilled expectations that followed the election of Mahmoud Abbas as president of the Palestinian Authority last year—for better governance, economic prosperity and progress in the peace process—increased support for Hamas by 40 percent during 2005. Yet even that translated into only 35 percent support among the public at large. Its remarkable showing in the elections demonstrates that its supporters were more determined to vote than Fatah's, and perhaps that some former Fatah supporters were lodging a protest vote.

[Wasanother]

The Palestinians made their bed so now they can lay in it. Jimmy Carter the other day said that we should support the Palestinians through the UN even though they are controlled by Hamas Terrorist. If Jimmy Carter had any brains he would realize that he just advocated the US government break the law by money laundering through the UN to a terrorist supported state. The people elected Hamas knowing the consequences for their actions so they are no better than the terrorist and I find it disgusting that a Former US President is trying to circumvent the law to support these people.

[samtheman]

While everyone expected Hamas to do very well, no polls predicted that the Islamist party would win a majority of the seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Do they have Diebold machines there?

[dirtboy]

Jimmy Carter the other day said that we should support the Palestinians through the UN even though they are controlled by Hamas Terrorist.

And Jimmah is an expert at appeasing Islamist radicals.

[right right]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>If Jimmy Carter had any brains

now thats funny

[Bender2]

Re: For one thing, Hamas received only 45 percent of the popular vote. The nature of the electoral system, which magnified the existing fragmentation of Hamas's opposition, is what gave the Islamist movement the 58 percent of the seats it won. The divided Fatah and four other secular parties won a majority of the popular vote—55 percent—but only 39 percent of the seats.

And people here complain about the Electoral College...

[SJackson]

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This was a tactical victory for Hamas, not a strategic one; voters want political solutions, not political Islam. Survey research during the last decade clearly demonstrates strong public support for liberal democracy among Palestinians. Indeed, most view Israel's democracy more positively than any other in the world, followed by America's. Similarly, most Palestinians see gender equality as one of the most important American achievements. If Hamas wants to solidify its support, its leaders would do well to keep all this in mind.

Please. Two parties faced off who have the destruction of Israel as core principals. They differ on corruption and sharia, so yes, that is a definable difference. Terrorism, the vote was virtually unanimous. This wasn't about establishing a liberal democracy like the US or Israel, whom the palestinians admire. When they die.