A survey published Thursday by an independent Palestinian research center found that 75 percent of Palestinians would back new elections.

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research conducted the poll during and after the Hamas military takeover of Gaza last week. It was conducted among 1,270 respondents in the West Bank and Gaza and had an error margin of 3 percent.

If new presidential elections were to be held, 49 percent would vote for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Fatah movement, and 42 percent would vote for his political rival, deposed prime minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, the survey said.

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If imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti were to run against Haniyeh, he would win 59 percent to Haniyeh's 35 percent, the poll said. Barghouti is serving five life sentences in Hadarim Prison for murder and attempted murder. Cabinet minister Gideon Ezra recently called for Barghouti's release as part of Israeli efforts to boost Abbas.

A majority of Palestinians, 59 percent, said both Hamas and Fatah are equally to blame for the bitter factional fighting that led to the Hamas takeover of Gaza.

70 percent said the chances of getting a Palestinian state in the next five years are slim.

Earlier Thursday, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) threw its full support behind Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in his showdown with Hamas, backing his decision to dismiss the Islamic party from the government and form a new emergency Cabinet, a senior member of a top PLO body said.

The PLO council also urged early elections, and called for "dissolving all militias," including Hamas's Executive Force and Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Hamas rejected the PLO's ruling as illegal and illegitimate.

Hamas is not a member of the PLO, which is dominated by Abbas' Fatah movement. Although largely inactive in recent years, the PLO considers itself the sole representative of the Palestinian people, and can bestow legitimacy or take it away.

Seeking backing against Hamas, Abbas on Wednesday asked the PLO Central Council, one of the PLO's top bodies, to approve his recent decisions, such as dissolving the Hamas-led government, declaring a state of emergency and forming an emergency government.

A member of the council's secretariat, Saleh Raafat, said he has written up the council's resolutions which are to be approved by a show of hands later Thursday. The council is dominated by Fatah, and approval is expected.

In the resolution, the council backs Abbas' recent steps, condemns Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza and asks that Hamas restore the situation to what it was before its military campaign, Raafat said.

The resolution also calls for holding presidential and legislative elections once Hamas has given up military control over Gaza, Raafat said.

Raafat acknowledges that the resolution in fact sidelines the Palestinian parliament in which Hamas has a majority. The parliament has been paralyzed for months, following an Israeli arrest sweep of Hamas legislators.

"The parliament could convene when it's possible and decide, but in the meantime, it cannot. So it's the responsibility of the PLO and its institutions," he said.

"The PLO is not replacing the legislature, but the PLO is the highest reference for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority," he said.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri rejected the central council's decisions as the rulings of an illegitimate body.

"Therefore, all its decisions and recommendations are illegal and illegitimate," Abu Zuhri said.

He scoffed at the call for early elections, accusing Abbas of carrying out a coup against the 2006 parliamentary vote that swept Hamas to power.

"Only through dialogue and by showing respect to the legitimate results of the election can we resolve our differences," Abu Zuhri said.