A new poll shows Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s continued popularity at home despite becoming increasingly marginalized and isolated by the West and Arab nations.
About 68 percent of Palestinians want Arafat to be given more powers than his prime minister and nearly half, 49.2 percent, would vote for him if elections were held today.
The poll, published Monday by the Alpha International for
Polling, Research & Informatics organization, queried 2,209
Palestinians between April 16 and May 2.
It showed the second most popular figure, after Arafat, is
Marwan Barghouti, the Fatah leader sentenced to life in prison for
terrorist attacks against Israel. About 35 percent preferred him as
candidate for PA prime minister.
The results of the poll were announced amid increased pressure on Arafat – mostly from Egypt – to give up many of his powers.
As WorldNetDaily reported, Egypt is demanding that Arafat step aside and cede control over the dozen PA security forces.
The PA president’s response is mixed.
Arafat “has agreed in principle to implement reforms in the
Palestinian security forces, but that does not mean that he will
step down,” said one official, according to the Jerusalem Post.
“He is prepared to share powers with a prime minister and
interior minister, but that he will maintain the right to appoint
whoever he wants to these jobs,” the official said. “This in line
with the authorities accorded to the president by the Palestinian
constitution.”
Arafat’s written response to Mubarak over the weekend did not
specify whether he was willing to accept Egypt’s demand to reduce
the number of security forces to three. He also did not address the
issue of ceding control.
A Palestinian official told Reuters Arafat wants to avoid a
confrontation with Egypt.
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