Poll: Egyptian Vote Has Spillover on Palestinians

The election of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has already had a spillover impact on the Palestinians. On June 25, a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research reported that Hamas – and its Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh – had gained wider public support after the parliamentary and presidential votes in Egypt. Hamas also gained wider support because the Fatah government in the West Bank was seen as limiting some freedoms, reflected especially in the arrest of journalists.

The poll, conducted between June 21 and 23, also found the following public sentiment on key issues.

• Arab Spring: Some 49 percent of the Palestinians surveyed believe that the Arab uprisings will have a positive impact on the Palestinian cause over the next year or two, and 23 percent believe they will have a negative impact. Another 25 percent say they will have no impact, positive or negative.

• A Salafi Party in Palestine: On the possible formation of a Salafi party in Palestine, which happened in Egypt, 27 percent of those surveyed said that they would vote for such a party if established and 63 percent said they would not vote for one.

• Egyptian elections: After the initial announcement of the Egyptian election results, 40 percent of those surveyed said they believe that the results will serve the Palestinian cause while 33 percent believe it will not. 22% said they do not know.