'Palestinian support for Hamas waning'
JPost.com Staff , THE JERUSALEM POST Jun. 29, 2009
www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1245924958272&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

Hamas support among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza is waning,
according to a survey conducted by the Palestinian Jerusalem Media and
Communications Center (JMCC).

According to the results of the poll published Monday, 18.8 percent of the
Palestinian population backs the Islamist group, compared to 27% when the
last JMCC survey was conducted in January.

The survey of 1,199 people also showed that 35% of Palestinians support
Fatah, a nine percent rise compared with the previous survey.

In addition, 26.5% said they blamed Israel for the lack of a breakthrough in
Fatah-Hamas reconciliation talks, while 23% said Hamas was responsible and
15% blamed Fatah.

Khader Khader, head of the JMCC media unit, said Hamas's popularity was hit
by disgruntlement among Gaza residents over a lack of a deal in
Egyptian-mediated reconciliation talks and the continued blockade of the
territory.

"It's a sort of protest by the people (of Gaza) because there is no progress
on these two major issues," Khader was quoted by Reuters as saying.

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