Fatah popularity rises after deal with Hamas

The popularity of Fatah party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has progressed at the expense of Hamas after the two movements signed a new unity deal last week, a poll showed Sunday. According to the poll, released by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, showed that 39 percent would vote in the coming elections for Fatah, while 30 percent would choose Hamas. The survey was completed on Feb. 4, two days after Hamas and Fatah agreed in Doha, Qatar, that Abbas head an interim government to prepare for elections. The deal enables Hamas and Fatah to implement a reconciliation agreement Egypt has brokered between them in May last year. The general and presidential elections aim to restore political unity in the Palestinian territories. The political split worsened when Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and took over Gaza in 2007. For the presidential elections, 50 percent said they will vote for Abbas and 29 said they support Ismail Haneya, Hamas premier in Gaza, as a future president. 58 percent of the surveyed people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank said they were optimistic that the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah would accomplish. 38 percent were pessimistic.