Marwan Barghouti May Lead Joint Hamas-Dahlan Electoral List
Marwan Barghouti, serving life sentences in Israel, could head a joint electoral list for Hamas and Muhammad Dahlan's faction, according to reports.
Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison, may head a joint list comprising Hamas and the reformist faction led by Muhammad Dahlan. This was reported on Wednesday morning by the Hamas-linked Palestinian Quds network, citing sources. According to the report, Samir Moshrawi, who heads Dahlan's faction, confirmed that Barghouti would be placed at the head of the list.
Coalition Discussions and Polls
In recent months, Dahlan and senior Hamas officials have held talks to establish a joint list of unofficial representatives aimed at defeating the Fatah list in elections. According to Palestinian public opinion polls, support for Hamas has dropped significantly following the consequences of the war in Gaza, but Fatah has not strengthened accordingly. Polls indicate the possibility that a united list of opposition factions could win the elections, should they take place.
Election Uncertainty
Simultaneously, sources told the Qatari channel Al-Arabi that Egypt will host a pan-Palestinian dialogue conference in the coming days. The talks will address, among other topics, the legislative council elections scheduled for November 28. However, according to the report, the Fatah delegation, movement of Mahmoud Abbas / Abu Mazen, is expected to inform the other factions that Israel refuses to allow elections to be held in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
"Israel refuses to allow the elections to take place in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip," sources indicated regarding the recurring obstacle.
Barghouti's Status
Barghouti is serving five life sentences and 40 years in prison. In 2004, he was convicted of five murders of Israelis and attempted murder, as well as involvement and responsibility for four terror attacks out of 21 attributed to him in the indictment. During the Second Intifada, he headed the Fatah Tanzim.
This is not the first time Barghouti's name has emerged in connection with running on a list separate from Fatah. Similar reports surfaced in 2021 regarding preparations for a parallel move. Despite his imprisonment, public opinion polls consistently rank him as the leading candidate to succeed Mahmoud Abbas / Abu Mazen as head of the Palestinian Authority.
