?I am not a terrorist, but neither am I a pacifist. I am simply a regular guy from the Palestinian street advocating only what every other oppressed person has advocated–the right to help myself in the absence of help from anywhere else.? Marwan Barghouti wrote these words to the Washington Post in an editorial in January 2002, demonstrating his appeal as both a Palestinian leader and a Palestinian layman. This was before the now 45-year old was imprisoned by Israel on five counts of murder for his role in terrorist attacks. Marwan Barghouti has walked what in the Palestinian territories is considered the middle road: he was a leader in the first Palestinian Intifada and a willing participant in the Madrid conferences that brought the uprising to an end. He was an advocate of the Oslo accords, but he was also ?the architect? of the second Intifada, which buried the Accords. He now supports measured violence within the territories of Gaza and the West Bank. ?While I and the Fatah movement [Group Profile] to which I belong strongly oppose attacks and the targeting of civilians inside Israel, our future neighbor, I reserve my right to protect myself and resist the Israeli occupation of my country and to fight for my freedom. If Palestinians are expected to negotiate under occupation, then Israel must be expected to negotiate as we resist the occupation,? Barghouti wrote to the Post. This remains Barghouti?s stance today. It is more hawkish than that of the official Fatah candidate, Mahmoud Abbas, who calls for non-violent resistance.

Abbas? supporters are working hard to prevent Barghouti from splitting the large Fatah/PLO constituency. Despite Barghouti?s popularity among Palestinians, Fatah is still very much controlled by the older colleagues of Abbas–the so-called ?old guard? of the generation of the late Yasser Arafat (WAR Report). What is being called the ?young guard? of Fatah has not yet amassed as much party power. As Abbas is better positioned to dole out salaries and positions to his old guard colleagues, they are standing loyally behind him and doing their best to discredit Barghouti.