Abbas 43 points ahead of rivals

RAMALLAH: PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas has a 43 point lead over his nearest rival ahead of next weekend’s Palestinian presidential election, according to a poll published on Sunday. The survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that 65 percent of people from the West Bank and Gaza Strip intend to vote for Abbas, standing for the dominant Fatah faction, next Sunday. The independent democracy rights activist Mustafa Barghuti recorded a 22 percent support rating while all the other five candidates combined managed just five percent. Eight percent remain undecided. Abbas’ support was strongest in Gaza where he registered a 70 percent rating as opposed to 62 percent in the West Bank. The survey also found that 71 percent of people believe Abbas is “the most able among all the candidates to reach a peace agreement with Israel.” The former prime minister’s path to victory was cleared when his chief rival, jailed intifada leader Marwan Barghuti, dropped out of the contest after massive pressure from the Fatah establishment. afp

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