RAMALLAH, 27 November 2004 — Palestinian intifada leader Marwan Barghouti yesterday abandoned plans to run in the upcoming presidential election, throwing his support behind Mahmoud Abbas, the candidate of the ruling Fatah party, Palestinian officials said.

The popular jailed leader’s decision to abort his nascent campaign ended a candidacy that could have shaken up Palestinian politics. Instead, it strengthened the candidacy of Abbas, a pragmatist who opposes violence and appears to have the tacit support of Israel and the United States.

Meanwhile, Israel agreed to remove all roadblocks in the West Bank on Jan. 9, the day of the election, according to security officials speaking on condition of anonymity. Israel has said it will do its utmost to ensure that the elections go smoothly.

Barghouti, 45, is the popular leader of Fatah’s young guard. He is serving five life terms after an Israeli court convicted him of murder in attacks that killed four Israelis and a Greek monk.

Despite his imprisonment, many Fatah leaders feared his popularity could carry him to victory in the election, or split the Fatah vote and allow another candidate to emerge victorious.

Hoping a promise of greater openness would appease Fatah’s increasingly restless younger activists and persuade Barghouti not to run, Fatah announced yesterday it would hold long-overdue party elections Aug. 4.

Fatah held its last conference and elections in Algeria in 1989, and many young Fatah activists have complained that the continuing delay in holding a new poll was freezing them out of leadership positions.

Armed with Abbas’ promise to hold the party elections, Palestinian Cabinet Minister Kadoura Fares traveled to Nafha Prison in the southern Israeli town of Beersheba yesterday to meet with Barghouti. Fatah announced the election date during the meeting, and Barghouti said he was pleased with the commitment, Fares said.

Abbas had sent a message to Barghouti that he would be an important member of the Palestinian leadership, Fares said.

“After a meeting of four hours, during which we debated this issue, Marwan Barghouti sends this message to the Palestinian people and its fighters ... He calls on the members of the movement to support the movement’s candidate, Mahmoud Abbas,” Fares told a news conference.

The Fatah Revolutionary Council’s decision to hold new elections would likely bring a new generation of activists into the Palestinian leadership.

The Fatah poll will be held during a general conference on Aug. 4, Yasser Arafat’s birthday, according to Amin Maqbool, a Fatah official.

Before his meeting with Barghouti, Fares met with Abbas, who asked him what Barghouti wanted. “I told him that Marwan has no personal demands. He represents a generation and this generation wants to see him as president,” Fares said.

Not all members of the young guard supported Barghouti. Maqbool, one of the younger leaders, said yesterday that Barghouti’s bid could weaken Fatah, and that “someone else could win this election from the outside.”

Barghouti’s supporters have said they were counting on international pressure on Israel to free him. Israel’s leaders insist Barghouti will remain in prison.

However, Israel appeared to be signaling yesterday that it is easing Barghouti’s prison conditions. In addition to Fares, Israeli Arab legislator Jamal Sahalka also visited Barghouti yesterday. In the past, legislators had complained about restricted access.

— Additional input from agencies