Fatah Revolutionary Council on Thursday approved PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as the movement's official candidate for the chairmanship of the Palestinian Authority, to replace Yasser Arafat. "The revolutionary council has voted to approve the central committee's decision to nominate Abu Mazen for the presidential elections," a Fatah officials told the press after 100 of the 129-member body voted in Abbas' favor.
Meanwhile, sources in Fatah, the ruling Palestinian movement, said earlier Thursday that Marwan Barghouti - the West Bank Fatah leader currently, who is in an Israeli jail - also plans to announce his candidacy.
"[Barghouti] has decided to run for president," the official told Reuters. "An official announcement will be made within 24 hours."
Amin Maqboul, the secretary general of the Fatah Higher Committee said that Barghouti has informed Fatah leaders through his lawyers that he will compete.
