Barghouti, the former Tanzim leader held in an Israeli jail as a prisoner of war, and Zakariya Zubeidi, the leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the West Bank, who has also zoomed into prominence recently. The situation of Barghouti behind bars, drew remarks likening him to "the Nelson Mandela of Palestine," for a while. Supporters of peace both in the Palestinian and Israeli circles, see Barghouti as the "only leader," who would succeed in gaining control over organizations such as Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs, would not be accused of being a Mossad and CIA spy, and more significantly, despite his unconciliatory attitude on the issue of Palestinian liberation, would agree to negotiate with Israel.
They are right… However, Barghouti finally withdrew from the limelight by declaring his support for Abbas. His advisers claimed that Barghouti made this decision because of the reality that whoever became president would wear out, in every aspect, in the next few years. Some foreign observers also commended Barghouti's withdrawal, because this might guarantee his freedom in a "general release of all jailed Palestinians" agreement that would be made between Abbas and Israeli authorities, and it would be more logical for him to declare his candidacy after his release.
Whether or not Barghouti declares his candidacy, it is certain that his popularity will increase in the streets of Palestine. Likewise, the future expectations of Al-Fatah supporters, who held a demonstration waving photos of Barghouti, indeed coincide more with Barghouti's discourse: To continue both the armed struggle and peace talks until a two-state solution is reached.
There is a significant amendment Barghouti, who will lose nothing by announcing" his support with reservations" for Abbas, expects from the latter's presidency: The withdrawal of the various security and emergency intervention teams, whose numbers greatly increased during Arafat's era, from the streets of Palestine. The Martyrs Brigades the top the list. The policy of the future Palestinian president to immediately dissolve the Brigades and "assign" their members to the Palestinian police force was already known. Under these circumstances, understanding why the Al-Aqsa Martyrs back Abbas is really difficult. How long this Palestinian policy, comprising nothing but "promises and interests" will survive, is also uncertain.
Announcements made by Abbas about the necessity to delay the planned Gaza pullout, which was a "gesture" by Israel before the elections and that of the Palestinian Administration not being ready to undertake Gaza's security responsibility, shows he is aware of how uncertain the situation.is.
Abbas will have to overcome not only the pressures from Israel and the international community, but also those of "their own security organizations" which his predecessor, Arafat, established and developed. While doing so, he will have to deliver the message that he is not the "only man," as President Arafat did in his tenure by resisting transfer of authority, and will also have to deliver the message of his democratization efforts.
November 29, 2004
