January 5-6, 2006
Background:

The Elections Court approved the reopening of the chance of candidacy for six hours. Through the granted period, Fateh was able to unite the two lists into one. The total number of lists running for the legislative elections is now eleven and the number of candidates running through their local circles is 414 distributed among a different spectrum of parties, political affiliations and social backgrounds. Added to the above number is another number of independent candidates. The campaigns for all candidates were launched at the end of the last week.
There is still a concern among Palestinian public that Israel may disallow Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to participate in the legislative elections which may mean a total cancellation of elections.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its assassinations of “wanted” Palestinians and incursions in some Palestinian cities. Further, Israel is creating an isolation belt North of Gaza Strip

The Results:

Following are the results of the Seventeenth Palestinian Public Opinion Poll conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah National University during the period from January 5 to 6, 2006. The University sponsors all polls conducted by its Center.
This poll undertakes several subjects centered on the coming Palestinian legislative elections, in addition to political sympathies.
The sample included 1360 persons whose age group is 18 and above and who have the right to vote. The enclosed questionnaire was distributed on 860 persons from the West Bank and 500 persons from the Gaza Strip. The sample was drawn randomly and the margin of error is about ±3%; still 2.8% of the members of the sample refused to answer the questionnaire.
* The Opinions represented in the results reflect those of the study; they do not represent by any means the opinion of An-Najah National University.

Major results:

• 68.1% from among respondents believe that the second legislative elections will be conducted on its specified date.
• 60.8% from among respondents assert that the legislative elections will be democratic and fair; 30% say the opposite.
• 51.3% from among respondents see that the internal security conditions permit conducting legislative elections; 42.1% see the contrary.
• 81.2% from among respondents say that they trust the central Elections Committee.
• 76.6% from among respondents say that they trust the local observers on elections.
• 72.3% from among respondents say that they trust the international observers on elections.
• 68.4% believe that the existence of international observers on elections is necessary.
• 86.2% say that they will participate in the elections.
• 1.6% from among respondent will not participate in the legislative elections because of religious reasons, 4.8% for political reasons, and 87.8% will not participate because in their view the elections will not change anything.
• 31.4% from among respondents say that the basic principle which decides casting their votes in the coming legislative elections is the good reputation of the candidate, 20.4% say it is the patriotic history of the candidate and 13%say it is the candidate’s elections program.
• As for elections on the basis of percentage electoral lists, 30.1% from among respondents say that the basic principle which makes them decide to whom they will give their vote in the coming legislative elections is the elections program of the list; 38.5% say it is the political orientations of the list.
• The order of the running tickets according to the opinion of respondents came according to the following order:
Fateh Movement led by Marwan Barghuthi 39.3%
Change and Reform led by Ismael Abu Hannieh 31.3%
Independent Palestine and the Independents led by Mustafa Al Barghouti 10.4%
Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa led by Ahmad Sa’adat. 6.8%
The Third Road led by Salam Fayyad 5.5%
Freedom and Social Justice led by Ahmad Majdalan