Hamas in from the cold?

At this Fafo-breakfast 24 January the subject was the Palestinian poll 25 January 2006. According to an opinion poll conducted by Fafo in December 2005, a majority wanted to continue the ceasefire with Israel and to end the Intifada. At the same time, however, many Palestinians meant that violence against Israel is legitimate as long as occupation prevails. 94% wanted a coalition government with participation from Hamas.

At the Fafo-breakfast the following questions were asked:

• Will a coalition government be able to establish law and order in the Palestinian territories?
• In what way will the results from the elections affect future peace negotiations?

Yasser Najjar (pictured), the new ambasadeur to the PLO-delegation in Norway, shed light on the elections from the Palestinian Authority's perspective, while Fafo researchers Jon Pedersen and Gro Hasselknippe analyzed, with help from the opinion poll results, the pre-election situation in the Palestinian territories.

>> See Gro Hasselknippe's presentation at the breakfast

>> Read Gro Hasselknippe's comment in Dagbladet 15 January 2006 (in Norwegian)

>> Protestvalg gir makt til Hamas 'Protest vote may help Hamas.' Fafo-researcher Gro Hasselknippe is interviewed by Vårt Land, 25 January 2006. (In Norwegian)

>> Fatah's fall. 'Fatah's fall.' Dagbladet (paper edition.) 25 January 2006. (In Norwegian)

Pervious Fafo-breakfasts