According to the preliminary findings of Arab World for Research and Development‘s [AWRAD] most recent poll in the West Bank and Gaza, conducted November 22-24, a majority of Palestinians (57 percent) believe that Salam Fayyad should be retained as Prime Minister in a unity government. The results were identical in the West Bank and Gaza. The percentage of respondents opposed was higher in Gaza at 40 percent compared to 28 percent in the West Bank. About 11 percent responded "don‘t know"; 4 percent in Gaza and 15 percent in the West Bank.

Support for maintaining Fayyad as head of government comes from across all socio-economic backgrounds with an equal percentage of male and female respondents supporting his remaining in office. The majority of employees in the NGO sector support his reappointment, as do government employees (60 percent) and those employed in the private sector (54 percent). Of note, Fayyad‘s continued premiership is supported by 78 percent of respondents who back Fateh, and a majority of those who support the DFLP (62 percent), Mubadara (56 percent), and PFLP (53 percent). Half of the respondents who fall into the "undecided" category also support extending Fayyad‘s term. In contrast, 16 percent of Hamas supporters and 20 percent of Islamic Jihad supporters have the same opinion.
Support for the reappointment of Fayyad comes at time when the government in the West Bank is seen as outperforming the government of Ismael Haniyah in Gaza on a number of fronts, including respect for human rights and freedom of speech, and adherence to democratic practices. While a majority of respondents believe that corruption continues to plague government institutions in both the West Bank and Gaza, a majority of respondents (63 percent) continue to have a positive opinion of Fayyad as a leader.

AWRAD‘s new poll - the full results of which will be released in early December -was fielded while the President of the Palestinian Authority and the head of Hamas‘ Political Bureau were meeting in Cairo to discuss issues including new elections and the leadership of a unity government.