Jailed Barghouti wants to succeed Arafat as leader

JAILED uprising leader Marwan Barghouti threw Palestinian politics into turmoil last night when he let it be known from his Israeli prison cell that wants to succeed Yasser Arafat.

Mr Barghouti, 45, is challenging interim leader Mahmoud Abbas, 69, a pragmatist who appears to have the tacit support of Israel and the US.

The candidacy sharpens a power struggle in the ruling Fatah movement, pitting the old guard of politicians that had returned with Mr Arafat from exile against the younger generation of activists who led two uprisings in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.