Hamas to win local polls in Gaza: Survey

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinian group Hamas will defeat its rival Fatah in this year’s municipal elections in the Gaza Strip, a new survey has found.

The survey conducted by the Ramallah-based Arab World for Research and Development Center (AWRAD) showed that Hamas will grab 37% of municipal seats in Gaza against 32% for Fatah movement.

Leftist groups will get 9% of municipal seats in the Palestinian territory, while other Islamic movements will win between 6% and 16% of Gaza seats, it added.

The polls also unveiled that Fatah will snatch 34% of municipal seats in the West Bank against 33% for Hamas in the October 8 elections.

Independent candidates, meanwhile, are expected to win 19% of seats in the West Bank, the survey found.

The poll, which included 205 political experts, also found that partisanship and tribalism will be the driving factors in voting during the municipal election.

Hamas boycotted the last Palestinian municipal polls in 2012 due to ongoing differences between the Gaza-based group and the West Bank-based Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.