Well-informed Palestinian sources revealed on December 11 that Fatah leader Marwan al Barghouti jailed by Israel would pull out his candidacy for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) presidential elections due on Jan. 9.

Barghouti is expected to declare he is pulling out his candidacy within the coming few hours, said the sources.

It was said that Barghouti, secretary general of Fatah movement's highest committee in the West Bank, is expected to issue a written statement from his prison in Israel, declaring that he is quitting his candidacy for the PNA president's post.

The sources said that Marwan Barghouti's wife is the one who is expected to read the statement before journalists in Ramallah that her husband pulls out his candidacy for the president's post.

They added that Barghouti's retreat came following pressure practiced on him by his wife and some of his aides in addition to the Israeli Knesset (parliament) member Talab el Sane'a.

In case Barghouti officially declares he is quitting, it would pave the way for Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Commttee Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, or better known as Abu Mazen, to win the presidential elections to succeed late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Source: Xinhua