Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Fatah is turning into a footnote


The crisis in the Palestinian party is such that it cannot find sufficient unity to hold a conference 20 years after it last met

Ben White
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 28 April 2009

This is the first of three articles looking at the future of Fatah. Next week, Karma Nabulsi will write on the relationship between Fatah and the PLO and PA, as well as how the future of the party will affect the official peace process. The following week, Nablus-based Fatah leader Hussam Khader will share his views on how Fatah can salvage its reputation on the ground.

"The future of Fatah is up in the air. Internal divisions and a confused political programme – problems that arguably date back decades – have led this historic Palestinian party to a moment of truth. It is no exaggeration to say that the crisis is of sufficient proportions that Fatah's continued existence as a political force to be reckoned with is under threat......

The future of Fatah has important ramifications for the region. After Oslo, the fate of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority became intertwined to the extent that now, it can be hard to unpick the interests of one from the other. The internal battle for the political direction of Fatah will have a huge influence on the way in which the Palestinians approach the so-called peace process and negotiations with Israel.

Beset by internal splits, openly challenged by Hamas and apparently helpless to slow down – let alone stop – Israeli colonisation, the future of Fatah looks bleak......"

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