Just minutes before the midnight cutoff for registering electoral lists, Fateh submitted its official list, which includes 66 people who will run in the PLC elections slated for January 25.
Foreign minister Nasser Qidwa along with a number of Fateh cadres submitted the list to the Central Elections Committee headquarters in Ramallah.
Some of the names on the list include: the jailed legislator Marwan Barghouthi, detainee Abu Ali Yatta, Ahmad Qurei’ (Abu Ala), Nasser Qidwa and Intisar Wazir (Um Jihad).
Commenting on the fact that Marwan Barghouthi heads both the Fateh and Mustaqbal list, Qidwa said, "This is a matter left to Barghouthi himself. He must decide on his own," adding that this definitely presents a problem.
Qidwa admitted that the Fateh list is “not perfect” but resigned to the fact that, “This is the nature of political work”
On this part, Mohammed Dahlan, commented on the Mustaqbal list, which includes a number of Fateh names and constitutes an alternative list to the official Fateh list, and said that “The Mustapbal list has been registered, headed by Marwan Barghouthi. It includes brothers with lengthy experience in the struggle and a number of academics."
Dahlan denied any disputes within Fateh even though an alternative list was presented.
“We will always remain loyal to Fateh”, and added that these events are a “new dawn in the history of the movement”.
Dr. Hanna Nasser, head of the Central Elections Committee said in a press conference after midnight last night that the CEC had received all the candidacy applications, confirming that registration had officially ended.
Nasser announced that over 400 candidates had been registered with 12 lists from across the homeland.
Nasser said the lists were: Badil, Independent Palestine, Martyr Abu Ali Mustapha, Martyr Abu Abbas, Freedom and Social Justice, Change and Reform, National Coalition for Justice and Democracy, Freedom and Independence, Al Mustaqbal (Future), Palestinian Justice, Fateh and Freedom.
“The period for withdrawals and amendments will continue until the first of next month” Nasser said, “The final announcement of candidate names and lists will be announced on the second of next month, the committee would then begin a check on all the names”.
Nasser also confirmed that work had resumed in all CEC offices after the necessary measures were taken to safeguard these offices.
Commenting on Marwan Barghouthi heading two lists, Nasser said, “The individual is the person that must decide on the list he wants”.
