Associated Press
RAMALLAH, West Bank -- By announcing he doesn't want another term in office, embattled Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pushed the Mideast peace effort into unknown territory Thursday, opening the way to a succession battle that could play into the hands of his rival, the militant Hamas.
But it also could boost the prospects of a popular candidate who reportedly wants to run for the presidency from his Israeli prison cell.
Abbas blamed his decision on the stalemate in peace talks, but the wording of his televised speech raised speculation that it was not final and could be a tactic for pushing Israel and the U.S. toward a larger compromise.
He said only that it was "desire not to run in the upcoming elections" which are set for January but could be delayed, extending his current term indefinitely.
Abbas took over after the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004, and Western leaders have come to see him as a symbol of moderation.
But the stalemate with Israel overshadows all, and Fatah activists say the party is in a panic, fearing a fragmented slate of candidates that would hand victory to Hamas.
Late last month, Abbas told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that he would not run, but recanted after President Barack Obama called him and expressed his commitment to Mideast peacemaking, Abbas' aides said. A senior Palestinian official told The Associated Press that Abbas informed other Fatah leaders of his latest decision several days ago but didn't tell Obama.
Insiders say he was disheartened by Washington's refusal to press Israel harder for a freeze on West Bank settlement construction, and that this week's visit by Clinton, when she appeared to side with Israel over the settlement issue, was the last straw.
The most attractive candidate to replace 74-year-old Abbas would likely be Marwan Barghouti, 49, who was jailed for life in 2002 for his involvement in fatal Palestinian attacks.
Activists say Barghouti, the top West Bank Fatah official until his arrest, is determined to run from prison. The charismatic Palestinian was once a favorite of Israeli peace activists but turned increasingly militant. His refusal to recognize the Israeli court's right to try him, and his defiant gestures and smiles for the cameras, heightened his popularity among Palestinians.
