A pan-Palestinian election

[mbig]

One government who speaks for all Palestinians is needed to further peace talks and for some degree of sanity.
The current situation is untenable and peace is on hold until there are successful 'Unity talks' between the parties.
Even after 'Unity' I'm not sure either side would give up it's Duchy.

Towards this end, elections should be held ASAP, hopefully as soon as this year end.
Let's see Who the Palestinans really want as their govt and ergo what their degree of seriousness about peace.
I'm not sure either Hamas or Fatah will allow it.. but clearly this is what's needed.

And as I said previously.. this election would have to be heavily monitored by the Int'l community with many arabic speakers among the crew to prevent abuse.

Fatah/PA postponed July 17 West Bank elections

Some current numbers:
AWRAD

Results of an Opinion Poll: Evaluation of Government Performance, Evaluation of Leaders and Parties, PLC and Presidential Elections, Local Elections, and The Peace Process. Dated: July 6, 2010
Field work: 21-22 June 2010
Sample Size: 1,200 Palestinians in the West Bank & Gaza
Margin of error: +3 %

Highlights:
- 75% of the respondents believe that the economy is declining.
- 67% consider the (creation of jobs and fighting poverty) as their first priority.
- 44% oppose and 42% support the postponement of the local elections.
- 30% blame Fateh and 24% blame Hamas for the postponement.
- 74% believe that the elections will not take place until Fateh and Hamas reconcile.
- 66% support the renewal of the (truce) between Hamas and Israel.
- 48% support and 47% oppose direct negotiations between the PA and Israel.
- 47% would appoint Fayyad and 22% would appoint Haniyeh for the PM position.
- Presidential election: 50% for a Fateh candidate, 25% for a Hamas candidate and another 25% for an independent candidate.
- PLC election: PLO list headed by Abbas (54%), Islamist list headed by Haniyeh (24%), independent list headed by both Fayyad and Mustafa Bargouthi (22%).

I strongly support Fayyad and would like to see him in eventual control. Abbas doing the near term work as Prez with the much bigger clout needed to win, and then Fayyad inheriting the leadership.
Fayyad, a former World-banker and the first non-Military/non-'revolutionary' to be PM, is also strongly supported by the International community and a main reason aid is flowing to the West Bank. He's also viewed as less corrupt than anyone in Fatah or Hamas.