By Xinhua,
Ramallah : A local poll published here Monday showed the majority of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza support extending the presidential term of Mahmoud Abbas until January 2010.
The poll, which was conducted by a Ramallah-based group, the Near East Consulting, said that 63 percent of those involved in the telephone poll support extending the presidential term of Abbas.
Thirty-seven percent of those who joined the poll oppose the extension of Abbas’ presidential term for another year.
The poll’s margin of error was 3.19 percent and the margin of trust was 95 percent.
It said that 945 Palestinians, from both genders and from both the West Bank and Gaza participated in the poll and were asked questions related to the current political situation in the Palestinian territories.
Earlier on Monday, Hamas lawmakers passed a resolution in a session held at the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in Gaza that opposes the extension of Abbas’ presidential term even for one day.
Hamas says that according to the basic law, the presidential term of Abbas is four years and ends on Jan. 8, 2009. Hamas wants to nominate PLC speaker Aziz Dweik, who is currently in an Israeli jail, as the interim president for 60 days.
If Dweik, who is also a senior Hamas leader in the West Bank, remains in the Israeli custody, Hamas wants to nominate his deputy Ahmed Bahar as the interim president for 60 days until presidential elections are held.
Although the Hamas-dominant PLC, or parliament, has not fully convened with all members since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip in mid June last year, the faction’s members in the PLC kept holding sessions, saying they are legal PLC sessions.
In relation to holding early legislative elections, which Hamas opposes, the poll said if legislative elections are held next week,53 percent would vote for President Abbas’ Fatah list and 12 percent would vote for Hamas.
The poll said that 71 percent of the Palestinians trust President Abbas, while 29 percent trust deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haneya.