They are afraid to talk, lest they are being wiretapped or are under surveillance. They are afraid to meet in a group, lest they be accused of illicit underground organization. They fear the knock at the door that can take place any moment — the knock leading to arrest and imprisonment. Those with families are afraid that their children will be stigmatized and they themselves will be crucified as traitors attempting to subvert the rais’ (president’s) regime.

And they have good reason to fear. In recent weeks — October-November — those who answer to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have indeed been “cleansing” the Palestinian Authority (PA) of the supporters of former Fatah senior member Mohammed Dahlan, Abbas’ bitter rival, under Abbas’ orders. The campaign is running full speed ahead and on all fronts: in refugee camps, where support for Dahlan is high; in Fatah institutions; and even in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). All this, in anticipation of Fatah’s seventh conference scheduled to take place Nov. 29 in Ramallah.

The last time this parley was convened was in August 2009 in Bethlehem. At the time, about 2,000 delegates from around the world attended. In light of the imminent conference and Abbas’ concern over Dahlan’s rising power within the Fatah movement, the Palestinian president has undertaken steps reminiscent of totalitarian regimes. For example, only about 1,300 delegates are expected to attend the upcoming conference. This is because Abbas’ people removed the names of Gaza Strip-Fatah people from the list, as clear Dahlan supporters.

About three weeks ago, on Oct. 22, PA security forces burst into Amari refugee camp in the Ramallah area and arrested a group of Dahlan supporters who held a rally for their exiled leader. Another wave of arrests took place in recent weeks among the youths in Fatah’s “Shabiba” youth movement. This organization’s activities are centered in universities, and dozens of students were taken in for questioning and arrested.