Palestinian opposition to Hamas is growing sharply.
Nearly half of all Gazans — 48% — now support the anti-Hamas protests that are steadily gaining momentum and size in the Gaza Strip.
At the same time, Palestinian support for the Hamas invasion and slaughter of Israelis on October 7 is steadily declining.
In March 2024, 71% of Palestinians said Hamas’ decision to invade was the right one.
Today, that number has dropped to 50%, plunging 21 points over the past 14 months, according to an intriguing new poll released this week.
Among those who actually live in Gaza — those who have suffered the horrific consequences of the war — only 38% still support Hamas’ decision to attack Israel. By contrast, among those in the West Bank, support remains much higher at 59%.
NEARLY ONE MILLION GAZANS SAY THEY WANT TO LEAVE GAZA
What’s more, a massive number of Palestinians now want to leave Gaza in search of safety and opportunity far from the war-torn and devastated Strip.
“We asked the residents of the Gaza Strip about U.S. President Trump’s statements about the need to displace them in order to rebuild it, and whether they are ready to emigrate from the Strip after the end of the war,” the pollsters noted.
“A majority of 56% said they are not willing to emigrate, but a large minority of 43% say they are willing to emigrate from the Gaza Strip after the end of the war.”
That suggests that of the roughly 2.2 million Palestinians currently living in Gaza, upwards of 1 million are now saying they want out.
PALESTINIANS DEMAND MAHMOUD ABBAS RESIGN — AND SEE IRAN’S HELP AS HARMFUL
Opposition to the regime of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank is sky-high.
Fully 81% of Palestinians say it’s time for Abbas to step down and are demanding his resignation.
Support for Iran among Palestinians is strikingly low, despite Iran’s strong financial and military support for Hamas.
“We asked the public about its assessment of Iran’s role in Palestine in light of what has been happening since October 7: is it a useful role or harmful to the Palestinian cause?” the pollster noted.
“A majority of 54% believes Iran’s role is harmful, while only 32% believe it is beneficial.”
These are among the encouraging findings of a new poll conducted by the credible and widely trusted Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR).
The poll was conducted in the West Bank and Gaza Strip between May 1 and 4.
ABBAS FINALLY NAMES A SUCCESSOR
Against this backdrop of shifting Palestinian public opinion, there are important new developments in Palestinian politics.
Abbas — widely known as Abu Mazen — will turn 90 years old on November 15.
He is in increasingly poor health yet refuses to hold new elections.
Over the years, American and Arab leaders have repeatedly told ALL ARAB NEWS that the need for legal clarity and political unity within Palestinian society — over exactly who will govern the Palestinian Authority when Abbas steps down or passes away — is becoming increasingly urgent.
The problem is that for years, Abbas refused to appoint someone to step into his shoes when the inevitable comes.
But now he finally has.
On April 26, Abbas appointed his loyal and moderate advisor, Hussein Al-Sheikh, as the P.A.’s vice president.
That means when the moment comes, Al-Sheikh would immediately become Abbas’ official successor until new elections are held.
WHO IS HUSSEIN AL-SHEIKH?
Hussein Al-Sheikh is not popular among Palestinians.
But he is widely respected and trusted by U.S., Saudi, and other regional leaders — precisely because he is a moderate who knows how to work closely with Israel.
In August 2022, I was invited to spend several hours meeting with Al-Sheikh in Ramallah and wrote a profile of him for ALL ARAB NEWS.
I noted that in his younger years, Al-Sheikh believed in completely driving all Jews out of the land. He spent 11 years — from 1978 to 1989 — in an Israeli prison. Later, he was active in the first and second Palestinian uprisings known as the “intifadas.”
However, once a radical, he later changed his position and now advocates for two states living side by side, with Israel confined to the 1967 borders. Within the Palestinian world, this makes him a pragmatist.
He speaks fluent Hebrew. His English is decent, but not great.
I also noted that Al-Sheikh is not some low-level bureaucrat. Rather, he has become a highly trusted confidant and loyal political ally of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
As the head of the PA’s General Authority of Civil Affairs, Al-Sheikh has long overseen all Palestinian cooperation with Israel on visas, jobs, economic matters, and other non-security issues.
A fierce Palestinian nationalist, Al-Sheikh has nevertheless built healthy working relationships with Israeli officials who don’t necessarily agree with him.
My conclusion at the time was that Al-Sheikh was rapidly emerging as the second most powerful and influential leader in the Palestinian Authority — and thus a man to keep a close eye on.
The events of the past several days have confirmed this analysis.
How will he navigate the labyrinthine world of Palestinian and broader regional politics?
Has the war made him more of a moderate and pragmatist — or stoked the radicalism of his past?
And as the prospect of his emergence as the next Palestinian president grows, will he continue the cautious but important outreach to Evangelicals that he began in 2022?
Stay tuned.
ALL ARAB NEWS will be watching him more carefully than ever.
