GAZA, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Marwan Barghouti, Fatah's imprisoned chief in the West Bank, might lead the movement's list of candidates for the upcoming general elections.
The new government's newspaper Hayat Tuesday quoted what it called reliable sources as saying "Marwan Barghouti will be nominated to lead Fatah's electoral list." He serves as the party's secretary general in the West Bank.
The paper said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was expected to present the final list of candidates to the electoral committee by Wednesday.
Barghouti was convicted by an Israeli court of killing Israelis and planning attacks on them and is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison.
But Fatah sources said earlier the group's electoral list included 66 candidates and was headed by Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia. Barghouti came second, they said.
Those sources said main candidates included the head of the Palestinian Legislative Council Rawhi Ftouh, Minister of Information and Deputy prime minister Nabil Shaath, and Ibrahim Abul Naja, head of the follow up committee for national and Islamic forces in Gaza.
Abbas said Monday Fatah's electoral list will be announced soon.
"We are still finalizing the list and I believe that we need a few more hours or more than that to complete it," he was quoted as saying.
Fatah, the mainstream movement and backbone of the Palestinian Authority, is expecting fierce competition from Hamas at the Jan. 25 elections.
