(CPOD) Nov. 24, 2004 - Former prime minister Mahmoud Abbas is the top rated presidential contender in the Palestinian Authority, according to a poll by An-Najah National University. 24.2 per cent of respondents would vote for Abbas in the election.

It is currently unclear if Marwan Barghouti will run as a candidate, so his name was not included in the poll. Barghouti was convicted in an Israeli court and sentenced to five life terms in prison for his alleged involvement in deadly attacks by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Barghouti's distant cousin Mustafa—the leader of the Palestinian National Initiative—is second with 9.8 per cent, followed by university professor Abdul Sattar Qassem, current prime minister Ahmed Qorei and former Hamas leader Talal Sidr.

The election was scheduled for Jan. 9, 2005 after the death of Yasser Arafat on Nov. 11. Former parliamentary speaker Rawhi Fattuh is the Palestinian Authority's interim president.

Polling Data

If Israel does not free Marwan Barghouti, what candidate would you support in the presidential election?

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