Haaretz
Kislev 10, 5765
PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas
told the Palestinian parliament Tuesday that he would follow in Yasser
Arafat's footsteps and demand that Israel recognize the right of return of
Palestinian refugees to Israel.
Abbas spoke a day after the ruling
Fatah movement chose him as its candidate in January 9 elections for
Palestinian Authority chairman.
But the Fatah "young guard" said
Tuesday that they would challenge the decision to name Abbas as Fatah
candidate in the elections.
The speech marked the first time since
Arafat's death November 11 that Abbas outlined his views on the conflict
with Israel.
Abbas' ideas about a peace deal with Israel have
always been close to those of Arafat: a Palestinian state in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as a capital, and Israeli recognition
of the right of return of some four million refugees and their
descendants.
Israel has said it is willing to repatriate a few
thousand refugees as a good-will gesture, but that the majority of
refugees must be taken in by a future Palestinian state.
At a
memorial ceremony for Arafat at the Palestinian parliament, Abbas said he
would walk in the footsteps of the late Palestinian leader.
"We
promise you [Arafat] that our heart will not rest until we achieve the
right of return for our people and end the tragic refugee issue," he
said.
Young guard wants Barghouti
Some of the Fatah
rebels are pushing for Marwan Barghouti, the Tanzim leader currently
serving five life sentences in Israel, as the movement's candidate to
replace the late Yasser Arafat, arguing that the popular Barghouti has a
better chance of winning.
Barghouti's wife, Fadwa, said her husband
would decide early next week whether to run as an
independent.
Abbas, 69, represents the older group of politicians
who returned with Yasser Arafat from exile in 1994, while Barghouti, 45,
leads the Fatah activists who grew up in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The
outcome of the power struggle between the younger and older generation
could well determine the next Palestinian leader.
Arafat, who died
November 11, held three top jobs - PLO chief, leader of Fatah and PA
chairman.
Immediately after his death, Abbas was chosen as PLO
chief. If he is also elected as Palestinian Authority leader, he would be
transformed from interim leader to Arafat's successor.
The decision
to nominate Abbas was made Monday evening by 13 members of Fatah's Central
Committee, which is dominated by the old guard.
Palestinian Cabinet
minister Kadoura Fares, a Barghouti loyalist, said the Fatah candidate
should be chosen in a much larger forum. But other members of the young
guard said they are ready to recognize Abbas.
Palestinian Foreign
Minister Nabil Sha?ath urged Barghouti not to run.
"I think Marwan
Barghouti is a disciplined man. He is committed to the decisions of
Fatah," Sha?ath said. "Marwan will have an important role in the
future."
Abbas served as Arafat's first prime minister in 2003.
However, he resigned after just four months in power, frustrated with
Israeli policy and Arafat's refusal to grant him real power.