May 10-12, 2006
Background

The financial crisis of the Palestinian Authority (PA) escalated following the suspension of funds made by the European Union and the USA, the refusal of Israel to transfer tax returns to the PA's treasury and the Palestinian Government's (PG) failure to transfer funds raised from some countries to the Palestinian treasury. One of the major consequences of this crisis was the PG's inability to pay the salaries of its employees for two consecutive months now.
In addition to the financial crisis, the PG goes through a crisis of disputed responsibilities with the Presidential Institution. Further, the Palestinian streets go through an unprecedented state of chaos, insecurity, and outlaw. Some fear that the present congestion of the Palestinian streets may lead to a civil war under the current state of militarization, and the provocative statements that officials let go here and there.

The Results

Following are the results of the 20th Palestinian Public Opinion Poll conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah National University during the period from May 10 to 12, 2006. The University sponsors all polls conducted by its Center.
This poll undertakes the relationship between the new PG and the Presidential Institution, the current economic circumstances, the political sympathies, in addition to some other issues.
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 3.7% of the members of the sample refused to answer the questionnaire.
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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.

The Major Results
• 51.4% from among respondents are content with the performance of President Abbas since the formation of the new PG.
• 52.1% from among respondents believe that the relationship between the Presidential Institution and the PG is disputation over responsibilities.
• 47.5% from among respondents believe that Hamas will succeed in managing the government's affairs.
• 54% from among respondents support enlarging the responsibilities of the Presidential Institution to include the administration of the coming funds from the donor countries; 40.1% reject.
• 53% from among respondents support expanding the responsibilities of the President to include direct supervision on the work of the security apparatuses; 41.3% reject.
• 37.5% from among respondents see that the exit from the local political crisis will be through dissolving the present government and forming a national coalition government. 20% see that the exit lies in changing the political program of the present government.
• 26.4% from among respondents say that breaking the international isolation imposed on the Palestinian Authority lies in a declaration made by the present government announcing its acceptance of the signed agreements made between the PLO and Israel. 41.8% say that the isolation can be broken by the government's adherence to its principles since they are just and they can be understood by the international community.
• 60.5% from among respondents say that even if the present government recognized the signed agreements between the PLO and Israel, Israel will not be ready to negotiate with a government led by Hamas.
• 55.8% from among respondents support a new government program which reassures commitment to all international agreements that the PLO and the PA concluded under the auspices of the international community.
• 44.6% from among respondents support the President's use of his power to dissolve the government if the latter does not solve the problem of pay rolls.
• Afte