JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Mahmoud Abbas, who may be Fatah's candidate for the Palestinian presidency, has promised Marwan Barghouti a role in every important strategic decision.
Palestinian Minister of State Qaddura Fares traveled to Israel's Beersheba jail Friday to deliver the promise to Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences for involvement in deadly intifada attacks.
Many Fatah members who want Barghouti to run for the presidency have collected the 5,000 signatures he would need, but he hasn't decided yet.
Barghouti is popular among the young generation that has lived in the occupied territories, compared with Abbas of the old generation who came from Tunis when the Palestinian Authority was established.
Fares told Israel Radio Abbas promised to co-opt the young generation into the Fatah Convention's steering committee.
Barghouti would be "one of the important pillars in the Palestinian regime, Fatah and the PLO and must be partner to every important decision on the strategic level," Fares quoted Abbas as having promised.
Israeli ministers this week said Barghouti would remain in jail.
