May 26, 2011
Muslim nations show mixed support for the extremist Islamic organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in Palestine four years ago, is viewed unfavorably by a majority of Palestinians (52%). And reservations about Hamas are particularly common in the portion of the Palestinian territories it controls – just 37% in Gaza express a favorable opinion, compared with 47% in the West Bank.
However, Palestinians give the highest rating of any nation surveyed (61% favorable) to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia organization. Hezbollah is very unpopular in its own country, however, with 64% expressing a negative opinion. A strong majority in Lebanon also opposes Hamas.
Turkey overwhelmingly rejects both groups, with large majorities having an unfavorable opinion of both Hamas (69%) and Hezbollah (73%). Majorities in Jordan, however, rate both groups favorably; 56% have a favorable opinion of Hamas (the most in any nation surveyed) and 51% rate Hezbollah favorably.
Eric Koch’s book, The Weimar Triangle, is available at Indigo-Chapters and in your local bookstore. 
