Making Peace? Fatah's Abbas Lacks Clout

The PLO, once ruled by Arafat, was a terrorist party called Fatah. It started in the early 60's and took over in 1968. Fatah means: conquest by mean of jihad. Jihad means: Islamic holy war.

Abbas took over as its leader when Arafat died. He lost the last election to Hamas in 2007 , an extreme terrorist organization who chased him to Judea and Samaria on the Eastern part of Israel.

The PLO Executive Committee is the governing body of this party. They are made up of 18 un-elected influential political men. They called a meeting to approve direct negotiations with Israel. Only nine members showed up. They needed twelve according to their constitution to approve of Abbas's participation.

The problem is that Abbas's term as President of the Palestinian Authority ended in January 2009. There have been no elections since Hamas won the 2007 election.

Abbas cannot negotiate for Hamas, who has sworn no recognition of Israel as its charter says they will drive Israel into the sea; meaning to destroy and end Israel. Fatah is now the main faction of the PLO. Therefore, Abbas has no control at all of the Gaza Strip. He has little control of Judea and Samaria shown by the attacks on Israelis recently who were driving there. Fatah has not recognized Israel. Israel cannot begin negotiations without this recognition.

Netanyahu is trying to make peace with a man who has no authority to make legitimate terms. How could he possibly have support from his own people? He can't even keep the Arabs in Judea and Samaria from attacking Israelis. He's done nothing about the text books the children use that show that all of Israel is Palestine or stop the instigative remarks found in these textbooks about hatred for Jews.

Here Israel is going through the motions of negotiating in good faith hoping to come to an agreement of peace. Netanyahu may be hoping that this will cause Abbas to actually win the support of the Arabs that he now lacks. Our hope is that the main body of Arabs in both sectors might enjoya peaceful condition.

I think they will also have to edit their charter. Many of the articles are simply about liberation and Jews.

Article (4) The Palestinian struggle is part and parcel of the world-wide struggle against Zionism, colonialism and international imperialism.
Article (5) Liberating Palestine is a national obligation which necessities the materialistic and human support of the Arab Nation.
Article (6) UN projects, accords and reso, or those of any individual cowhich undermine the Palestinian people's right in their homeland are illegal and rejected.
Article (7) The Zionist Movement is racial, colonial and aggressive in ideology, goals, organisation and method.
Article (8) The Israeli existence in Palestine is a Zionist invasion with a colonial expansive base, and it is a natural ally to colonialism and international imperialism.
Article (9) Liberating Palestine and protecting its holy places is an Arab, religious and human obligation.
Article (10) Palestinian National Liberation Movement, "FATEH", is an independent national revolutionary movement representing the revolutionary vanguard of the Palestinian people.

Reference: mgbard@aol.com Mitchell Bard-Do the Palestinian authority Leaders have a mandate to pursue peace?

http://middleeastfacts.com/middle-east/the-fatah-constitution.php

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/Fatah.html