Palestinian media reports that Fatah official, who is serving five life sentences in Israeli prison, will take office if Abu Mazen resigns

• Marwan Barghouti. Consider replacing Abu Mazen in the post // Photo: Tal Cohen

Fatah senior Marwan Barghati, who is serving five life sentences and 40 years in Israeli prison following involvement in terrorist attacks in the al-Aqsa Intifada - tends to declare his candidacy for the Palestinian Authority chairman, but on condition that Abu Mazen removes his candidacy. Palestinians today (Tuesday).

Reports cited Fatah's revolutionary councilor in charge of the Jerusalem Movement, Hatem Abd al-Qader. "He has a tendency for Marwan Barghouti to present his candidacy in the elections for the Palestinian National Authority."

In his remarks to the al-Quds network, al-Qader said that Barghouti is the preferred candidate for Fatah in the event Abu Mazen announces that he will not run. "We must wait until we know Abu Mazen's position for running for office, especially when he stated he had no intention of running for election. The following, despite statements by some of his associates, that he is the only candidate. "

Later in the report, al-Qader said that although Barghouti has decided to deal, he is waiting for Abu Mazen's announcement. He claims that in case it says he is not a contender - Barghouti will be the preferred option. "We hope to have one candidate for the Fatah movement, and not a two-candidate situation," he stressed.

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will remove his candidacy in the upcoming elections // Photo: AFP

The Fatah official stressed that "Marwan has the right to run for office in the elections."

Al-Qader reportedly referred to allegations of some connection between Barghouti and Abu Mazen's opponent, Muhammad Dahlan. "Marwan is a commander, a leader and a fighter. You can see an interest in the Palestinian people in alliances he can make, and we have full confidence in him.

In recent days, Barghouti has been reported to run for election as head of the Fatah list in the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Meanwhile, in his Christmas speech, the PA chairman said that "all the Palestinian factions agreed on what we agreed on, but one very important obstacle remains the elections in Jerusalem. According to him, Israel "is not interested in holding elections in Jerusalem, and we say that there should be elections for the people there in Jerusalem itself." Mahmoud Abbas meant that he would also not allow the residents of the eastern capital to vote in Ramallah. "If this is achieved, we will issue an election order to the Legislative Council and the presidency."