- The Media Line - https://themedialine.org -

EXIT POLLS SPELL TROUBLE FOR ‘ABBAS

Exit polls are showing strong support for the Hamas terrorist organization in Thursday’s municipal elections in the Gaza Strip.

The first-ever balloting in Gaza is also the first test of newly elected president Mahmoud ‘Abbas’s popularity and public confidence head-to-head with groups such as Hamas.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad did not participate in the presidential election.

Figures released by the independent Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed Hamas was in position to win three of the four biggest districts in Gaza, including one where the dominant Fatah faction headed by ‘Abbas had been expected to triumph.

110 seats on 10 municipal councils were up for grabs in the election.

Losses by ‘Abbas on the magnitude predicted by the exit polls casts into doubt his ability to end Gaza-based terror, the key element to progressing in peace talks with Israel.