From his prison cell, Marwan Barghouti, a charismatic Palestinian figure, has overturned expectations for an easy transition of leadership to replace the late Yassir Arafat.

After a sudden decision last week to run in the January 9 elections against the more moderate Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the two are now neck and neck. According to a poll on Monday by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, Mr Abbas would receive 40 per cent of the vote, and Mr Barghouti 38 per cent.