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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rascal who wrote (40112)	8/26/2002 8:08:09 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Poll: Support for Arafat hits record low By KHALED ABU TOAMEH Palestinians' support for PA Chairman Yasser Arafat has slumped to an all-time low, according to a survey published Monday by a respected pollster in Ramallah. Arafat's popularity rating has fallen to just 34%, compared to 46% two years ago, before the start of the Palestinian uprising against Israel. But for the first time, Arafat's Fatah organization, the largest and most powerful group in the Palestinian Authority, has taken second place to the extremist Islamic groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The poll, carried out last week by Dr. Khalil Shikaki of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), surveyed more than 1,300 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. It is regarded as an authoritative snapshot of Palestinian public opinion. The poll had a margin of error of 3%. Shikaki found support for Fatah had fallen to just 26%, compared to 37% before the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000. But support for the Islamic extremists, which fell as low as as 17% last year, has now outstripped support for Fatah, and risen to 27%. Arafat has said he will seek reelection as president in elections tentatively set for January 2003, but many Palestinians are now calling on Arafat not to run. A whopping 85% said Arafat's Palestinian Authority is rife with corruption. This damning indictment was coupled with doubts about Arafat's ability to implement a reform program launched earlier this year. Only 25% have confidence in the new government's ability to reform internal conditions and deal with Israel, and only 34% believe that the government has the intention to implement a 100-Day Program for political and financial reform announced by Arafat in May. A large majority of 84% supports fundamental reforms in the Palestinian Authority, while 69% support, and 22% oppose, the appointment or election of a Palestinian prime minister to govern alongside Arafat. Shikaki also found that Palestinians are evenly divided over whether to continue violent attacks against Israelis, with 48% supporting, and 50% opposing, the gradual implementation of a cease-fire and Israeli army withdrawal. But 43% support, and 53% oppose, internal Palestinian efforts aiming at ending bombing attacks against civilians inside Israel. A vast majority of 73% says it supports reconciliation with Israel but only after a peace treaty in which the Palestinians have achieved their full rights. jpost.com

To: Rascal who wrote (40112)	8/26/2002 8:10:14 PM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

John, where is the thread to nominate this for the coldest quote of the day :)^ Only kidding. You are truly a worthy opponent. No, I agree completely. I just couldn't find a way to discuss matters with Michael. I work hard not to come to those sorts of conclusions and have stretched a great deal to carry on talk. But either my stretching energy is gone for the moment, or my imagination just took a temporary vacation, or something else. I don't mean to be an opponent; just to state my views, enter into a conversation and if it works perhaps change some of my views. The post read as if Michael had spent some time composing it but I couldn't find a way to discuss anything about it.