AP News, December 16th, 2006
Top possibilities for Palestinian president:
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MAHMOUD ABBAS, 71,: Incumbent president from Fatah, elected overwhelmingly in 2005 to succeed Yasser Arafat after his death. A pragmatist who opposes violence, Abbas has called for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. After Hamas unseated Fatah in January parliamentary elections, he failed to win back disaffected voters. He has said he would not run for re-election, but that was before he cut his own term short. September polls gave him 31 percent of the vote in a presidential race.
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MARWAN BARGHOUTI, 47: Charismatic leader of Fatah's young guard, serving multiple life sentences in Israel on murder convictions related to Palestinian uprising. Considered presidential run from jail in 2005, but withdrew under pressure from Fatah. Supports Palestinian state alongside Israel, but advocates using force to end Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Widely seen as only Palestinian leader capable of unifying squabbling Palestinian factions and restarting peace efforts with Israel. Palestinians want him to be one of prisoners released in exchange for a captured Israeli soldier.
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ISMAIL HANIYEH, 46: Current Palestinian prime minister and senior Hamas leader. Defers to Hamas' supreme chief, Khaled Mashaal, in Damascus, but is seen as most popular Palestinian politician after Abbas. In keeping with Hamas' line, he does not recognize Israel, says he will not renounce violence, and calls for Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza in return for a 10-year truce. Recent polls gave him 24 percent of the vote in a presidential race.
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MOHAMMED DAHLAN, 45: Fatah lawmaker widely considered to be the most powerful figure in Gaza Strip, with little support in the West Bank. Former Palestinian security chief, has been involved in peace negotiations with Israel and speaks fluent Hebrew from time jailed Israel. Has good contacts with Israel and the U.S., and is at odds with Hamas, having acted against the militant group harshly when security chief. Hamas accuses him of masterminding assassination attempt on Haniyeh.
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AHMED QUREIA, 67: Former Palestinian prime minister from Fatah, commonly known as Abu Alaa. Key architect of 1993 Oslo peace accords with Israel and led Palestinians in negotiations with Israeli government for years.
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MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, 52: Independent lawmaker who heads the Palestinian National Initiative, a small left-leaning grouping that favors a two-state solution. Attracted recent media attention for his failed attempts to mediate between Hamas and Fatah in coalition talks. Ran for president against Abbas in 2005, receiving about 20 percent of the vote. A September poll gave him just 5 percent.
