The poll was carried out by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research and reported in Haaretz. It concludes, with a margin of error of .1 percent, that "The public continues to be split in its attitude toward violence. Many of those who voted for Abu Mazen did so even though they do not reject the use of force. They voted for the whole package that the man presented to the public, which includes reforms in the regime, the elimination of corruption and a challenge to [Yasser] Arafat's style," according to pollster Prof. Khalil Shikaki.
Shikaki, himself avowedly anti-violence, stressed that although Abu Mazen won the popular vote [albeit without any serious competitors after jailed murderer Marwan Barghouti pulled out of the race –ed.], the results do not in any way mean that 62 percent of PA Arabs support ending the terror offensive against the Jewish State.
According to Haaretz, "Shikaki concludes that the theory that Abbas' victory promises quieter days for the Negev town of Sderot - hard hit by Palestinian Qassam rocket attacks - is off the mark.”
Shikaki, himself avowedly anti-violence, stressed that although Abu Mazen won the popular vote [albeit without any serious competitors after jailed murderer Marwan Barghouti pulled out of the race –ed.], the results do not in any way mean that 62 percent of PA Arabs support ending the terror offensive against the Jewish State.
According to Haaretz, "Shikaki concludes that the theory that Abbas' victory promises quieter days for the Negev town of Sderot - hard hit by Palestinian Qassam rocket attacks - is off the mark.”