News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti of Tanzim expressed confidence in a recent interview with the popular Italian daily La Stampa, telling reporters that he would be released from Israeli prison by the end of the year.  Barghouti said that he would announce his candidacy for Palestinian Authority Chairman as soon as current PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announces his plans to resign, and that he would go on to win the elections.

Barghouti said he did not believe that Hamas would win the next round of PA elections.  Hamas, “an inseparable part of the Palestinian people,” won the last elections due to Fatah’s corruption, he said.  “I’m sure Fatah will present new, honorable candidates with clean hands” in the next elections, he said.

Polls conducted among PA Arabs show that Barghouti enjoys a great deal of popular support, and could beat both Abbas and Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh in general elections.  Some Israeli politicians from the political left have called for Barghouti’s release, arguing that he is a strong leader who could provide Israel with a stable partner for peace negotiations.  Barghouti is currently serving multiple life sentences for planning terrorist attacks in which several Israelis were killed.