Post-Arafat Power Struggle Starts Early

Yesterday, Al Fatah organization officially nominated Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary-General Mahmoud Abbas for the presidency. However, when Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, visited the tent set up in Gaza to allow people to pay their respects to Arafat, a group of people reportedly associated with Musa Arafat, one of Arafat’s relatives and the person in charge of Gaza Security, fired into the air and shouted: “No to Abu Mazen. Abbas and Dahlan are American agents.” Two security officers were killed and five people were wounded when Abbas’ body guards and former security official Mohammed Dahlan opened random fire. Abbas was saved in the commotion and said that the incident was not an assassination attempt.

Meanwhile, Al Fatah’s Central Committee and the PLO Council convened in Ramallah yesterday reportedly to appoint Prime Minister Ahmet Qurey as Arafat’s successor as president of the Security Council. After Abbas’ candidacy was discussed, attention turned to alternate candidate and Intifada leader Marwan Barghuti who is currently serving a lifetime sentence in an Israeli prison. An anonymous source said Saturday (November 13) that Barghuti says he will withdraw from the election only if Al Fatah chooses a candidate from inside the organization. Barghuti is regarded as a natural successor to Arafat because he is loved a great deal by the Palestinians. Candidates wishing to run for president must apply between November 20 and December 2, 2004.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said yesterday that he could entertain the idea that Palestinians living in Eastern Jerusalem can cast votes in the elections.