Jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti reversed an earlier decision and took the first steps Wednesday to run for the presidency to succeed the late Yasser Arafat, throwing Palestinian politics into disarray. Adding to the turmoil, the Islamic militant group Hamas announced that it will boycott the Jan. 9 election, the first sign of open tensions with the interim Palestinian leadership since Arafat died in France on Nov. 11. If Hamas’ tens of thousands of supporters abide by the boycott, it could undercut the legitimacy of the vote. A candidacy by Barghouti, meanwhile, will likely split the ruling Fatah movement, which has backed the candidacy of interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Barghouti, a leader of the younger generation in Fatah, is more popular than the staid Abbas. Full Story
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