Marwan Barghouti, the veteran Fatah leader languishing in Israeli captivity for nearly 25 years, has signaled his determination to contest the next Palestinian presidential election. Sources close to the imprisoned figure confirmed to Sky News Arabia that Barghouti remains steadfast in his candidacy and has explicitly rejected any notion of withdrawing from the race should polls finally be held.

His potential run surfaces as the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority faces intense pressure from western powers to move toward long-stalled elections. While current President Mahmoud Abbas has signaled a potential path for parliamentary and presidential ballots, the move is viewed by many as a calculated response to external demands rather than a genuine shift in the authority’s exclusionary governing style.

Barghouti continues to command significant public support across the occupied territories, frequently outperforming both the Fatah old guard and rival factions in polling. As his family reports escalating abuse and physical decline within Israeli detention, his supporters increasingly view him as a necessary figure to break the long-standing leadership vacuum and restore a sense of unified national direction.