When a Palestinian political body calling itself the Reform and Development Party launched this month, it immediately raised the concern of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah party, with the latter calling the new group "suspicious" and its ideas toxic.
The party was established May 1 in Hebron, stating it will represent the Palestinian "silent majority." Its goals include reviving the Palestinians' economic situation, cooperating with Israel to open West Bank roads Israeli authorities closed for security reasons and easing Israeli restrictions on the Palestinian people. In its founding statement, it said it wants to improve communication with the rest of the world, end corruption and nepotism and reform the PA and the PLO.