Abbas courts the gunmen
Palestinian presidential election front-runner Mahmoud Abbas paid tribute to countrymen killed in fighting with Israel, with gunmen firing in the air during a large anniversary rally of the ruling Fatah movement today.
His speech in Gaza City marked the second time in two days that Abbas had indirectly courted armed groups – even though he has spoken out against violence and criticised attacks against Israel as a mistake.
His appearances, including an encounter with a prominent West Bank gunman on Thursday, prompted questions about whether Abbas is playing campaign politics or identifying with violent groups.
His aides have said he needs the support of the Palestinian street for a large margin of victory that would enable him to negotiate with Israel in the future. However, Abbas is also signalling that he wants to co-opt the militants, not confront them as Israel and the United States have demanded.
In another development, jailed Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouti said he was never serious about running for president, even though his brief bid earlier this month posed a serious challenge to Abbas.
Barghouti, a Fatah leader who is serving multiple life terms for deadly attacks on Israelis, spoke in response to questions submitted by AP.
he said the announcement of his candidacy had been a way to highlight the plight of the 7,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails and to call on the Palestinians to continue the uprising.
| Related Stories: |
|
