Peres: Barghouthi might succeed Arafat

The Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres has expressed his conviction that the secretary of the Fatah movement Marwan al-Barghouthi, currently detained by the Israeli occupation forces, will succeed the chairman of the Palestinian authority Yasser Arafat.

In statements he made on Tuesday in the Eilat city and quoted by the Israeli radio, Peres said that in case Barghouthi resumes the presidency of the Palestinian authority, this will not be a positive development for Israel.

Peres also stressed continued striking of the Palestinian resistance by all means.