Jewish Fatah member seeks key position

Uri Davis walks out of a polling station in an hot (photo credit: AP)
Uri Davis walks out of a polling station in an hot
(photo credit: AP)

The only Israeli Jewish member of Fatah says he is seeking a position in the Palestinian movement's key decision-making body.

Uri Davis said Sunday he had presented his candidacy for Fatah's Revolutionary Council at the group's conference in Bethlehem. It is Fatah's first gathering in 20 years.

The 66-year-old academic is an outspoken critic of his country and identifies himself as a Palestinian Hebrew-speaking citizen of what he calls "the apartheid state of Israel."

Davis is one of around 700 Fatah members vying for 89 open seats in the body, which oversees the group's day-to-day decision making. Voting begins Monday.

The fluent Arabic speaker said he does not know how good his chances are of winning a seat.