As 80% Of Public Support Hamas: Abbas Decrees 2026 Elections as Survival Tactic Amid Crumbing Public Support

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has issued a strategic presidential decree calling for general elections on November 1 2026.

The move aims to include voters in the Judea and Samaria and Gaza as well as the Palestinian diaspora. While framed as a democratic renewal the timing and logistics suggest a calculated political maneuver rather than a genuine shift toward reform.

A Calculated Timeline

The decree sets a rigorous schedule for the coming year. Local elections are slated for April 25 2026 followed by the eighth Fatah General Conference on May 14 2026. The process culminates in the Palestinian National Council elections in November. Observers view this timeline as an attempt to appease international demands particularly from the United States for a revitalized leadership. However the reality on the ground presents a starkly different picture.

The Credibility Gap

Recent data from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research paints a grim picture for the current administration. Approximately 80 to 88 percent of the Palestinian public is calling for Abbas to resign. The Palestinian Authority is widely perceived as a corrupt entity that lacks true representation.

In contrast Hamas continues to hold a significant lead in hypothetical polling. Current figures suggest Hamas would garner roughly 60 percent of the vote for parliament compared to just 30 percent for Fatah. Despite the devastation in Gaza the organization has managed to maintain or even bolster its standing among the population.

Obstacles To Implementation

Experts argue that holding elections in Gaza remains a near impossibility under current conditions. With the Palestinian Authority lacking any actual foothold in the strip since 2006 the promise of ballot boxes in Gaza appears more like a built in excuse for future cancellations.

Abbas previously called for elections in 2021 only to postpone them indefinitely citing issues with voting in Jerusalem. This latest announcement follows a similar pattern where external pressures for democracy clash with an internal reality of declining legitimacy and a rising tide of support for more radical alternatives.

Implications For Regional Stability

For Israel and the international community the prospect of these elections carries high risk. A victory for Hamas would fundamentally alter the diplomatic landscape. The current polling indicates that 53 percent of Palestinians still view the October 7 attacks as a correct decision.

As long as the Palestinian Authority remains weakened by internal corruption and a lack of public trust any move toward the polls is viewed less as a democratic milestone and more as a survival tactic for an embattled leadership.