Does it technically count as a leadership “untainted by terror” if the new Palestinian President is a convicted arch-terrorist:
The al-Aqsa Brigade faction of the Fatah terror organization has announced it… is endorsing convicted arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is serving multiple life sentences in an Israeli prison.
But the Palestinian public is really ready for peace this time, so Barghouti shouldn’t have a chance. No chance at all:
Because of his charismatic personality and the fact that he was willing to take up arms against Israel… Barghouti was, and remains, highly popular among the Palestinian rank and file, especially of the younger and more militant generation.
Israel originally indicted Barghouti on charges of having had a direct hand in the murder of 37 Israelis. Judges Sarah Sirota, Amiram Binyamini, and Avraham Tal convicted him of five deaths in three incidents…
Barghouti clearly has the support of the Palestinian prisoners, who constitute one of the most influential forces in Palestinian society. According to media reports, the prisoners regard Barghouti as their candidate.
