[[File:Mahmoud abbas.jpg|frame|left|Mahmoud Abbas]] 
{{Palestine}}{{byline|date=November 14, 2004|location=[[w:Ramallah|RAMALLAH]]}} Acting president {{w|Rawhi Fattuh|Rawhi Fattuh}} has announced today that [[Palestine|Palestinian]] elections will be held on January 9. Futtuh, head of the {{w|Palestinian National Authority|Palestinian parliament}}, was sworn in hours after the death of {{w|Yasser Arafat|Yasser Arafat}} on Thursday, and Palestinian Basic Law dictates that he may only serve up to two months before elections are held.

New leadership could prove to be the key to revitalizing the peace process in the {{w|Middle East|Middle East}}, as both [[Israel]] and the [[United States]] had refused to work with Arafat.

The ''{{w|Haaretz|Haaretz}}'' had initially reported that former prime minister {{w|Mahmoud Abbas|Mahmoud Abbas}} was selected by the {{w|Fatah|Fatah}} central committee as their candidate for president, but Abbas has denied this, saying, "the matter is still being discussed." There have also been conflicting reports on whether or not jailed Palestinian leader {{w|Marwan Barghouti|Marwan Barghouti}} will run.

Barghouti is currently serving five life sentences in Israel for attacks against Israelis. Nonetheless, he remains a popular figure among Palestinians for his role in the Palestinian uprising, and could potentially win the election if he decided to run.

A win by Barghouti could put Israel in an awkward spot; however an Israeli official said this week that he would not be freed, and a landslide win by Barghouti would signify to them that the Palestinians were not yet ready for peace.
== Sources ==
{{wikipedia|Palestinian presidential election, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6805746
 |title=Palestinians Set Jan. 9 Election to Replace Arafat
 |author=
 |pub=Reuters
 |date=November 14, 2004
 | brokenURL = true}}
*{{source|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=501491
 |title=Abbas: I am not candidate for PA chairman
 |author=Arnon Regular, Aluf Benn and Nathan Guttman
 |pub=Haaretz
 |date=November 14, 2004
 | brokenURL = true}}
*{{source|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2004/nov/14/world/fg-mideast14
 |title=Vote for Successor to Arafat Planned
 |author=Laura King
 |pub=Los Angeles Times
 |date=November 14, 2004}}
*{{source|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/general/102802/barghouti_to_run_for_palestinian_leader/
 |title=Barghouti to Run for Palestinian Leader
 |author=Ravi Nessman for ''[[w:Associated Press|Associated Press]]''
 |pub=redOrbit
 |date=November 13, 2004
| brokenURL           = true
| archiveurl          = http://web.archive.org/web/20120624051833/http://www.redorbit.com/news/general/102802/barghouti_to_run_for_palestinian_leader/
| archivedescription  = archived on archive.org}}
<!--
Note: The redOrbit source above was previously the source below. However, the source is offline. Ravi Nessman is an Associated Press correspondent based in Jerusalem. The redOrbit source is by Associated Press with the same title and date, so I'm assuming the article is the same. ~~~~
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4613488,00.html
 |title=Barghouti to Run for Palestinian Leader
 |author=Ravi Nessman
 |pub=The Guardian
 |date=November 13, 2004}} {{Source offline}}
-->

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[[Category:Palestine]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Mahmoud Abbas]]
[[Category:Yasser Arafat]]
[[Category:Fatah]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Palestinian National Authority]]
Mahmoud Abbas 
 Acting president Rawhi Fattuh has announced today that Palestinian elections will be held on January 9. Futtuh, head of the Palestinian parliament, was sworn in hours after the death of Yasser Arafat on Thursday, and Palestinian Basic Law dictates that he may only serve up to two months before elections are held.

New leadership could prove to be the key to revitalizing the peace process in the Middle East, as both Israel and the United States had refused to work with Arafat.

The Haaretz had initially reported that former prime minister Mahmoud Abbas was selected by the Fatah central committee as their candidate for president, but Abbas has denied this, saying, "the matter is still being discussed." There have also been conflicting reports on whether or not jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti will run.

Barghouti is currently serving five life sentences in Israel for attacks against Israelis. Nonetheless, he remains a popular figure among Palestinians for his role in the Palestinian uprising, and could potentially win the election if he decided to run.

A win by Barghouti could put Israel in an awkward spot; however an Israeli official said this week that he would not be freed, and a landslide win by Barghouti would signify to them that the Palestinians were not yet ready for peace.