Monday, January 28, 2008
According to this Al-Aharam article, Fatah is planning on holding their first congress in 18 years. While it's often insisted that Arafat and the PLO accepted Israel's existence, despite the inconvenient truth of their statements and actions, the PLO charter has never been officially amended. Some PLO leaders have been candid about that fact. The excuse has been that it would require a congress of this nature to do so, which has always been impractical. Perhaps this is a chance to make such a statement official, and if not...why not? Still in crisis
Fatah, the largest Palestinian political movement and the mainstream faction of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), is planning to hold its sixth general congress in March. The last congress was held 18 years ago outside Palestine, before the creation of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Then, late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat dominated Fatah with his charismatic character and near absolute powers.
Fatah, which is often viewed as a "supermarket of ideas", is already beset by internal disagreements, contradictions and competing camps, which many observers contend will eventually lead to the postponement or even cancellation of the long-awaited congress. The congress is viewed as a key occasion since it will elect the local, regional and national leadership of the Fatah movement, including members of the Revolutionary Council, the more powerful Central Council, and Fatah's representatives in the PLO Executive Committee -- ostensibly the highest Palestinian decision- making body...
