Report: Fatah conference to radicalize confrontation with Israel

Jerusalem Post reports that the Fatah movement is, in essence, about to tear up the Oslo peace process documents and radicalize their struggle. It seems it is responding to European threats (promises, from their point of view) to impose a solution and to increasing isolation of Israel by the Obama administration, both of which are seen as opportunities. At the same time, it is trying to bring Fatah policy to the point where it is competitive with Hamas. The report:

The Palestinian Fatah movement will attempt to bring its platform up to date during a conference next week in Bethlehem - the first such conference in 20 years - according to Saudi paper Al Wattan.

 

The paper, claiming to have obtained details of the draft of the proposed platform, reports that Fatah aims to strengthen its struggle against West Bank Jewish settlements, the security barrier and the "Judaization of Jerusalem," using civil opposition and "limited violent means."

 

The draft would also reject recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

 

However, the draft also includes new clauses intended to set in motion negotiations with Israel, which are currently frozen. It reportedly supports the establishment of a united democratic Palestinian state and supports the option of unilaterally announcing sovereignty within the pre 1967 Six Day War borders, in case negotiations fail the new policy would also call on the UN to handle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in case the sides get stuck in a situation where no progress can be made.

 

The Palestinian refugee issue would be solved "according to UN Resolution 194." The resolution, dating back to December 1948. The resolution's 11th clause states: "that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible."

 

The resolution was never clear on specifics and both Israel and the Palestinians highlight different parts of it as justification for their claims. It is not clear how Fatah would by its own power force Israel to accept and implement its interpretation of Resolution 194.

 

The draft of Fatah's revised platform would also "insist on setting up a new timetable for peace negotiations and halting of all settlement construction as a precondition of resuming negotiations."

 

The platform would also call to "open a strategic channel with Iran" and exert international pressure on all relevant countries to "prevent normalization with Israel so long as the occupation continues."

The Jerusalem Post could not verify the accuracy of Al Wattan's report.

 

The Israeli government needs to take this report seriously. Even if it does not reflect reality in total, it probably is based on someone's strategic thinking. Israel needs to be prepared for the eventuality that a very unfriendsly solution will be imposed upon it by a hostile UN. It is no longer a question of "United Jerusalem" or some hilltops in the West Bank.  Would Israel have the support of the United States government in standing against a one state solution or right of return for Palestinian refugees? That is not at all as certain as it used to be.

 

Ami Isseroff