What a difference a few days make.

Marwan Barghouti has now decided from his Israeli prison cell (where he spending the next 5 consecutive life terms plus 40 years for murder) that he will now throw his hat into the ring for leadership of the Palestinian Authority. The Jerusalem Post reports:

In a dramatic turnaround, imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti registered as a candidate for the Palestinian Authority election on January 9, running against Fatah nominee and PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, his wife announced shortly before the midnight Wednesday deadline.

Fadwa Barghouti submitted the registration despite her husband's announcement last Friday that he was stepping aside and throwing his support behind Abbas. He said at the time that his aim was to maintain unity within Fatah.

Last Friday, Baghouti, announced to the world that Fatah unity would prevail and he would not run against Mahmoud Abbas. Now Barghouti announces:

Barghouti said he is running "to protect the intifada," Barghouti associate Ahmed Ghanem told The Jerusalem Post. He and other Fatah leaders received a letter from Barghouti Wednesday in which he accused the Fatah leadership of trying to discredit the uprising and blame the late PA chairman, Yasser Arafat, for the misery of the Palestinian people. Talking about the possibility of achieving true peace now, after Arafat's death, is tantamount to discrediting his path, Barghouti wrote.

Personally, I am waiting for Yassir Arafat to rise from the grave and announce that rumours of his demise were a Zionist plot and he will run in the next Palestinian election on the platform as President for Life and Beyond.