Barghouti hints at presidency, calls for unity government

Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti Ramallah – Sona Aldeek Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who was arrested during the Israeli occupation and sentenced to life following charges of killing Israeli civilians in 2002, made a rare appearance in court as a witness for another case.
During his brief appearance, Barghouti made way for the possibility of running for presidency and he called for forming a Unity Government and embracing peaceful resistance.
When asked about his intention to run for the elections, Barghouti told the reporters in court that the authorities did not announce yet the elections date. "When they do it, we’ll see what happens,” he said.
“I call on the great Palestinian people to embrace unity and cohesion and to establish a national unity government and also to embrace popular, peaceful resistance to end the occupation," Barghouti then said.
Barghouti also praised the Arab Spring  and said it would certainly benefit the Palestinians and their cause.
"Yediot Ahronot" quoted Barghouti  while saying that the Middle East conflict will end only when Israel withdraws to the pre-1967 lines and a Palestinian state will be established.
The popular Fatah leader announced that he refuses to testify in front of an Israeli court as he does not acknowledge its legitimacy.
Qaddoura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club (PPC) denied the news released by some of the media on Wednesday about the release of Marwan Barghouti and his deportation to Jordan. Fares also told Safa news agency that the news probably emerged after the transfer of Barghouti to a Jerusalem court to testify in a lawsuit filed by Jews in the United States.
PPC head also denied news of Israeli release of a number of Palestinian prisoners, including detained leaders, as part of the direct negotiations between Palestine and Israel.
The Israeli television reported earlier this week that the Israeli authorities decided on the release of the Fatah leader and his deportation to Jordan in a few hours.
PPC condemned the way Barghouti was pushed and pulled while cuffed in court before journalists following the court session onWednesday, and called for the Quartet to take a serious action towards the way Palestinian leaders, officials, and people are treated.