Fatah’s Revolutionary Council grapples with growing issues
At its last meeting, Fatah’s Revolutionary Council discussed relations with Hamas, negotiations with Israel and internal disputes with Mohammed Dahlan’s movement.
The last meeting of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council held in Ramallah on Oct. 18-19 and presided over by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas enjoyed exceptional importance, distinguishing it from previous meetings. This meeting discussed vital internal and external issues related to the relationship with Israel, the future of bilateral negotiations, the fate of reconciliation with Hamas and the consensus government, as well as the settlement of Fatah’s internal dispute with Mohammed Dahlan’s movement.
The Revolutionary Council is the highest parliamentary authority in Fatah, which includes the 81 members elected at the Sixth Fatah Conference in 2012.
The 14th session of the council delegated the Fatah Central Committee to make any political decisions, including ending any official relationship with Israel resulting from the Oslo Accord and its ensuing obligations. The council also stressed the link between the resumption of negotiations to halting settlement activity, recognizing the borders of the Palestinian state and preparing in advance to end the occupation.
Abdullah Abdullah, a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, told Al-Monitor that the decision "comes in the context of the evolution of political events on the basis of gain and loss. Fatah seriously broadened the horizons of negotiations while Israel turned them from a means into an end and a tool to gain time at the expense of Palestinians.”
