No clear successor if Abbas resigns as PA head — poll

As rumors swirl that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will imminently resign, a poll released Tuesday indicated both a deep distrust among Palestinians in their leadership, and a dearth of a clear successor.

According to a survey by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center (JMCC) of 1,199 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, if Abbas did not run in the next election, imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Bargouti would be the top candidate — but with only 10.5 percent of the vote.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was backed by 9.8% of respondents, exiled Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan was supported by 5.1%, and peace talks negotiator Saeb Erekat and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal got 3.3% of the vote in the poll. One-third (33.6%) said they did not know who they would vote for.

Only 16.1% of respondents said they trusted Abbas, compared to 21.8% in March. Support for Haniyeh also slightly declined from 14.1% in March to 12.5% in August, while Barghouti’s ratings were up slightly, from 5.4% in March to 7.1% in August.

The survey was conducted from August 19-23, with a margin of error of +-3 percent.

The poll came amid rumors that the 80-year-old Abbas plans to step down as president of the PA after a decade on the job, amid frustration that all roads to Palestinian statehood appear blocked.

Currently, Abbas holds the three top positions in Palestinian politics — president, head of the PLO and Fatah chief.