Well, the recount of votes for seats on the Fatah Central Committee shook things up a bit. Notably, the recount pushed a prominent supporter of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, At-Tayyib Abdul Rahim, onto the panel, extending the elected part of the committee from 18 to 19 seats. Abdul Rahim previously said he would not seek a nomination to the committee but changed the morning of the vote. He initial sought to refrain from participation in order to urge the inclusion of younger Fatah members on the panel, calling them the “spine” of the movement. His inclusion increases numbers for the older Fatah members who were broadly cast aside during the vote in order to infuse the party with new blood untainted by years of corruption under Arafat.
Further, the immense support shown towards imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who placed third in overall voting and was accused of participating in multiple terror attacks, led one prominent member of the government to urge his release. Because of his prominent stature among Palestinians and apparent willingness to negotiate, many analysts believe that Barghouti could unite Palestinians behind a peace deal with Israel. Minority Affairs Minister Avishay Braverman called for Barghoutis release, stating:
“We must weigh his release with the aim of creating a moderate and strong political leadership among the Palestinians.”
However, opposition leader and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni criticized Braverman’s comments, calling Barghouti a murderer. Livni stated:
“He was sentenced to many years in jail and the elections in Fatah are not a sufficient justification for his release from jail… The fact that the Palestinians elected him or that someone here in Israel thinks that he can be a partner is not a sufficient excuse for his release.”
See the certified results, with changes tabulate by Ma’an News, below.
Photo taken from Ma’an News.
