The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research conducted a public opinion poll between 7 October and 11 October 2026. Researchers surveyed residents across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, reporting a margin of error of 3.5 percent. National support for Fatah currently stands at 22 percent. Public backing for Hamas has experienced a decline, falling from 35 percent in late 2025 to 19 percent in October 2026. These figures represent shifting trends in political affiliation among the Palestinian public.
Growing Disillusionment With Factions
Thirty-three percent of Palestinians do not support any of the traditional political factions. Regional data from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research shows that 48 percent of residents in the West Bank express no affiliation with these groups, compared to 11 percent in the Gaza Strip.
Separate findings indicate widespread skepticism regarding recent military outcomes. Sixty-two percent of Palestinians believe that neither Hamas nor Israel emerged victorious from the Gaza war. This assessment follows the period of conflict that prompted shifts in public political sentiment across the territories. Residents remain divided in their outlook, with a significant portion of the population distancing themselves from established leadership structures in favor of alternative or non-partisan positions.
Demand For Independent Political Alternatives
Fifty-six percent of respondents expressed readiness to vote for an independent electoral list comprising professional and economic figures. This preference for non-partisan candidates reflects a broader desire for alternative political representation among the public.
Palestinian legislative elections were originally scheduled for 28 November 2026. President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to postpone these elections to 11 September 2027. The delay shifts the timeline for voters to select new leadership, extending the period before any formal electoral process can occur within the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Residents now wait for the rescheduled date to cast their ballots, amid ongoing discussions regarding the composition of potential independent lists that aim to offer a departure from the established political factions.
Priorities For Future Governance
Seventy-six percent of respondents support a governing program centered on Gaza reconstruction, economic improvement, salary payments, anti-corruption measures, and international partnership. This high level of public interest in functional reform suggests a preference for administrative stability over traditional factional agendas.
Security preferences remain distinct from these governance priorities. Seventy-four percent of respondents reject the disarmament of Hamas prior to a full Israeli military withdrawal. This consensus indicates that while the public demands improvements to their economic and material conditions, significant majorities maintain firm positions on security protocols regarding the presence of armed groups. These findings from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research reflect how residents weigh internal development against ongoing military concerns when considering the requirements for future leadership.
Views On Diplomacy And Statehood
Forty-two percent of respondents view negotiations as the most effective method to end the occupation and establish a Palestinian state. This segment of the population prioritizes diplomatic engagement as the primary path toward achieving national sovereignty.
Regarding the structure of a potential settlement, 53 percent of respondents support a two-state solution based on 1967 borders. This proposal includes East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. These figures, reported by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, indicate a significant portion of the public maintains interest in a negotiated outcome. The data shows that despite shifting political affiliations, a majority of residents continue to favor a specific framework for statehood and territorial definition between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.