1. JAILED PALESTINIAN TOPS DIPLOMATIC AGENDA…A Palestinian serving five life terms in an Israeli jail is at the center of a political maelstrom on Friday. Marwan Barghouthi, the leader of the Tanzim wing of the late Yassir Arafat’s Fatah movement is still considering running in the election to replace Arafat as the chairman of the ruling Palestinian Authority. So far, Israel has refused all requests to release Barghouthi from prison, saying he was responsible for the murders of several Israelis and the wounding of many more. Israel has given permission for top Palestinian politicians to visit him in jail. Israeli-Arab lawmakers may also meet him. Polls suggest Barghouthi would most likely win the January 9 vote.
2. HAMAS NOT RUNNING FOR PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP…Top officials in the Hamas terror organization say they will not be putting up a candidate in the January 9 election for Palestinian Authority chairman. However, Hamas says it will run in the parliamentary elections. The Palestinian leadership has repeatedly called on Hamas to join in the fledgling democratic process, but analysts have told The Media Line Hamas is loathe to do so because the electoral system is the result of the Oslo agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, and is therefore tainted by the “Zionist forces.”
3. SHARON SPEAKS OF EGYPTIAN INACTION…Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is concerned that Egypt is not doing enough to fight Palestinian terror. He made his view clear to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, when the latter visited the Middle East earlier this week, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz. Sharon said monitoring the 130-mile border with Israel is insufficient and more has to be done deep in Egyptian territory. Israel maintains smugglers are managing to move arms and terrorists into Gaza from Egypt. Next week Egypt’s foreign minister and head of intelligence will visit Jerusalem and Gaza for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. A week ago an Israeli tank accidentally killed three Egyptian officers along the border; the Israeli soldiers having mistakenly believed the three to be Palestinian terrorists. A month ago at least 20 people were killed when terrorists blew up the Taba Hilton Hotel, just inside Egyptian territory, close to the Israeli resort city Eilat.