Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Internal struggles within Fatah over 'armed resistance'

From Ynet News, 27/5/09, by Ali Waked:

Abbas spars with Barghouti over removal of militaristic clause from movement's platform ahead of upcoming faction summit

The Palestinian Authority "will do everything in its power" to advance peace with Israel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed this week during an official visit to Canada.

The armed struggle against Israel has emerged as one of the key issues being dealt with by Fatah members ahead of the organization's committee convention.

One side of the movement calls for the removal of militaristic terms from its platform, which was formed during the 1980s. However a rival group, which includes senior members of the organization, demands Fatah be presented not only as a political group but also as a force battling "occupation".

On the fringes of the debate is a group calling for a compromise, in which Fatah will not abandon its "armed resistance" but also refrain from making it the main tack. These members consider militarism the legitimate right of the Palestinian people where negotiations fail.

Abbas and his affiliates prefer to remove all militaristic clauses from Fatah's ideology, but Marwan Barghouti's affiliates have vowed to fight against this stance as they believe it will encourage the proliferating view that the Palestinian Authority is in league with Israel.

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