Home>News Center>World
         
 

Abbas set to win Palestinian vote, Barghouthi drops out
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-13 08:43

Moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas's chances of winning a presidential election to replace Yasser Arafat appeared to be sealed after his main rival Marwan Barghouthi pulled out of the race.

But hopes of Middle East peace, raised since Arafat's death in Paris on Nov. 11, suffered a blow when militants burrowed under an Israeli post on the Gaza-Egypt border to kill four soldiers in the deadliest attack on the army for seven months.

A composite picture shows jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghuti (L) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chief Mahmud Abbas. Barghuti announced that he is withdrawing from the contest to become the next president of the Palestinian Authority, confirming his support for Abu Mazen (Mahmud Abbas) for the position. [AFP]
A composite picture shows jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghuti (L) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chief Mahmud Abbas. Barghuti announced that he is withdrawing from the contest to become the next president of the Palestinian Authority, confirming his support for Abu Mazen (Mahmud Abbas) for the position. [AFP]
The militants set off 1,500 kg of explosives in a tunnel dug under the army post, turning some buildings into a pile of rubble and setting others on fire.

The militant Islamic group Hamas and an armed group in Fatah claimed responsibility for the multi-pronged attack at the Rafah crossing to Egypt in which gunmen charged at wounded soldiers as militants in Rafah pounded the army post with mortar bombs.

The assault could also complicate Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to abandon occupied Gaza in 2005 just as it gained momentum with talks on a new coalition to see it through. Abbas became the clear front-runner in January's election after Barghouthi gave into pressure from Fatah to pull out of the race to allow its own candidate, Abbas, to replace Arafat who died of an undisclosed illness at a French hospital.

Barghouthi's withdrawal from the race ended a bid that threatened to undermine Abbas, a U.S.-favored veteran leader who is expected to revive talks that foundered before the uprising started in 2000.

In the letter from his cell to announce that he was withdrawing, Barghouthi called Abbas "a dear and good friend."

Barghouthi, a charismatic grassroots leader serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for orchestrating attacks, had more street appeal than Abbas, the official nominee of their Fatah movement. The two were neck-and-neck in polls.

Even if Barghouthi had failed to win, a good enough showing could have discredited Abbas - especially when it came to trying to end violence and bring the militant factions under control.

RESURGENT VIOLENCE

One of the gunmen in Sunday's attack in the Gaza Strip as well as a Palestinian man in Rafah were killed during an hours-long gun battle that raged after the initial blast.

The Fatah Hawks militant group said it was avenging the "assassination" of Arafat, who is thought by many Palestinians to have been poisoned despite vehement denials from their own leaders and French doctors.

The violence looked set to fuel a new round of bloodshed after a spell of relative calm after Arafat's death.

"The only way to stop this cycle of violence is through a meaningful peace process," said Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat.

Israel has vowed to respond to violence, but said it could limit military operations if militants stop attacks and the new Palestinian leadership brings fighters under control.

"We are willing to display restraint, but I think it also puts a great pressure on the Palestinian leadership to take the necessary steps," said Sharon's spokesman Raanan Gissin.

Israel agreed on Sunday to free up to 200 Palestinian prisoners, partly to show goodwill ahead of the elections, and said more releases could follow if violence stopped.

Gissin said Israel could also coordinate its "disengagement plan" from Gaza if Palestinian leaders get tough on militants.

Palestinians remain deeply uneasy about Sharon's initiative, fearing it will cost them the West Bank. Palestinians want both territories captured in the 1967 Middle East war for a state.

Sharon wants to evacuate all the settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of 120 in the West Bank next year in a bid to "disengage" from fighting with the Palestinians. Polls show most Israelis want to part with impoverished Gaza.



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Taiwan separatist's plan goes nowhere

 

   
 

Yushchenko calls for probe into poisoning

 

   
 

Textile limits imposed to ease trade concerns

 

   
 

15 killed in Philippines market blast

 

   
 

Human rights situation improved in China

 

   
 

Road accidents kill 96,870 this year

 

   
  Abbas set to win Palestinian vote, Barghouthi drops out
   
  15 killed in Philippines market blast
   
  Yushchenko calls for probe into poisoning
   
  Insurgents try to derail Iraqi elections
   
  Bush seeks security chief As Kerik exits
   
  Likud, Labour begin coalition talks
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Barghouthi drops election bid
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲欧洲国产精品久久| 国产亚洲欧美另类专区| 亚洲欧美成人一区二区三区| 老板轻点好痛好涨嗯啊视频| 国产成人综合色视频精品| 99精品久久久中文字幕| 成人性生话视频| 久久久久久久久久久久久久久| 最好2018中文免费视频| 亚洲国产一成人久久精品| 波多野结衣办公室33分钟| 国产女人水真多18毛片18精品| 67194在线午夜亚洲| 天堂影院www陈冠希张柏芝| 一本色道久久88| 我要看18毛片| 亚洲免费综合色在线视频| 波多野结衣忆青春| 免费很黄很色裸乳在线观看| 老师开嫩苞在线观看| 国产亚洲精品无码成人| 黄色网址免费观看| 国产理论片在线观看| 相泽亚洲一区中文字幕| 国产老妇伦国产熟女老妇高清| cctv新闻频道在线直播| 好男人资源在线www免费| 丁香六月激情综合| 最近中文字幕免费mv视频| 亚洲成a人v欧美综合天堂| 波多野结衣xxxxx在线播放| 伊人久久久大香线蕉综合直播| 精品久久久无码人妻中文字幕豆芽| 国产一区二区三区不卡在线观看 | 亚洲欧美另类日韩| 激情久久av一区av二区av三区| 国产精品成人第一区| 亚洲色偷偷色噜噜狠狠99| 老妇高潮潮喷到猛进猛出| 国产97人人超碰caoprom| 2022国产麻豆剧果冻传媒剧情|