Jailed Palestinian leads election polls: "Nimr said the fact that Barghouti [the highest Palestinian official in Israeli custody] is in prison would not stop him from serving as president. 'He will appoint a strong prime minister and a strong vice president,' Nimr said. 'They will be visiting him from week to week to get instructions.'"

"Abbas ... enjoys the tacit support of the international community."

This means that Abbas is the US/Israeli candidate, which is probably the single biggest argument against his candidacy. It is reminiscent of Apartheid and Mandela. Barghouti's goals are the same as everyone else's - the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and settlers from the Occupied Territories and the creation of a Palestinian State on same territories - and all he might need to do is sit in jail until the Israeli government sees sense. Like Mandela, he could even have the option of refusing release until such time as reasonable demands are met.

Jailed Palestinian leads election polls: "Nimr said the fact that Barghouti [the highest Palestinian official in Israeli custody] is in prison would not stop him from serving as president. 'He will appoint a strong prime minister and a strong vice president,' Nimr said. 'They will be visiting him from week to week to get instructions.'"

"Abbas ... enjoys the tacit support of the international community."

This means that Abbas is the US/Israeli candidate, which is probably the single biggest argument against his candidacy. It is reminiscent of Apartheid and Mandela. Barghouti's goals are the same as everyone else's - the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and settlers from the Occupied Territories and the creation of a Palestinian State on same territories - and all he might need to do is sit in jail until the Israeli government sees sense. Like Mandela, he could even have the option of refusing release until such time as reasonable demands are met.