Palestinian Pundit

A Comment by Tony Sayegh

Whenever the Palestinian public opinion needs to be manipulated, and the real story spun, the puppet PA turns to so-called "independent" pollster Ghassan Khatib. His poll "results," fabricated in advance to show increased support for Fatah and the Vichy "government" of Abbas and Fayyad and decreased support for Hamas, are trumpeted by the Zionist press as proof that their agent Abbas is making headway, that they are betting on the right "horse." This article by AP and published by Haaretz and Ynet shows the results of the latest "poll."

All of Khatib's "polls" conform to this pattern and usually reach the same conclusions: Abbas and Fatah are popular and Hamas is being defeated. Say what?

The most infamous of Khatib's polls was the one he supposedly conducted just days before the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006. In that "poll" he predicted that Fatah would win comfortably over Hamas. Was it just faulty polling, or simple spin and propaganda?

The man's background suggests that he is no "independent" pollster. A review of some of the positions he held should make that clear:

* Palestinian Authority Minister of Planning
* Palestinian Authority Minister of Labor, 2002
* Involved in the Washington Negotiations, 1991-1993
* Member of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Peace process, 1991
* Palestinian People's Party representative to the Palestinian Authority

Bitterlemons.org is a website that presents Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints on prominent issues of concern. It focuses on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and peace process. It is produced, edited and partially written by Ghassan Khatib, a Palestinian, and Yossi Alpher, an Israeli.

Bitterlemons.org maintains complete organizational and institutional symmetry between its Palestinian and Israeli components. It draws financial support from the European Union and additional philanthropic sources based outside the region.

Now you decide on this latest "poll."

Poll: Palestinians prefer Fatah gov't over Hamas-led cabinet
By Associated Press.