Fatah – Hamas conflict
Background
Designated a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and the EU, it is seen by its supporters as a legitimate fighting force defending Palestinians from a brutal military occupation.
It is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist organisation, formed in 1987 at the beginning of the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel’s occupation in the West Bank and Gaza.
The group’s short-term aim has been to drive Israeli forces from the occupied territories. To achieve this it has launched attacks on Israeli troops and settlers in the Palestinian territories and against civilians in Israel.
It also has a long-term aim of establishing an Islamic state on the West Bank, Gaza and Israel.
Fatah is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a multi-party confederation.
Fatah is generally considered to have had a strong involvement in revolutionary struggle in the past and has maintained a number of militant/terrorist groups, although, unlike its rival Islamist faction Hamas, Fatah is not currently regarded as a terrorist organization by any government.
The tensions between Hamas and Fatah began to rise in 2005 after the death of long-time PLO leader Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11, 2004, and intensified after Hamas won the elections of 2006.
The conflict, which erupted between the two main Palestinian parties, Fatah and Hamas, resulted in the split of Palestinian Authority into two polities, both seeing themselves the true representatives of the Palestinian people – the Fatah ruled Palestinian National Authority and the Hamas Government in Gaza.
May 2011 agreement
The leaders of two main Palestinian-factions, Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation agreement in May 2011 paving the way for the formation of transitional national unity government followed by elections.
The Pact was widely seen as a fall-out of the Egyptian uprising that resulted in the formation of military-led transitional government in Cairo, which played a key role brokering the intra-Palestinian accord.
The accord signed on May 4 2011, ending a four year feud between Fatah and Hamas, was to be followed by preparations for the formation of an interim government.
Bitter fighting in 2007 had led to the exit of forces loyal to Fatah from Gaza, which, has since been administered by the Islamist Hamas.
On the other hand, Israel had rejected the pact, and reinforced it with a warning to Mr. Abbas that he must “choose between Israel and peace with Hamas, who “aspires to destroy Israel”.
Local elections in October 2012
Palestinians in the West Bank cast ballots on 20th October in local elections for their first vote since 2006 general elections, in a step boycotted by Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Last time the Palestinians voted was in the January 2006 general elections which Hamas won by a landslide.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement said on 21st October that it had won most council seats in the West Bank after local elections boycotted by rival Hamas Islamists.
Emir visit deepens Fatah-Hamas rift
Secular Palestinian groups have slammed the visit of the Qatari Emir to Gaza for reinforcing divisions between the Islamist Hamas and Fatah. The Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who stepped into Gaza via Egypt was accorded a high-profile welcome by the Hamas, led by Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s Prime Minister in the coastal strip.
Mr. Haniyeh later announced that the wealthy Qatari royal had decided to donate $400 million. The package includes funds for a $150-million housing project near the southern town of Khan Younis. The project, close to an abandoned Israeli settlement, would be named Hamad City after the Qatari Emir.
Fatah responded furiously, urging its supporters to boycott the Emir’s visit. It said the visit undermined Palestinian aspirations for independence by deepening divisions between Hamas and Fatah — exposed since 2007 when Hamas ousted its rival from Gaza.
It alleged the visit was being undertaken to enhance Qatari influence in the region at the cost of Palestinian unity. Fatah stressed that all aid to Palestinians should be moved through the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), headed by President Mahmoud Abbas. Formed as a political and paramilitary body in 1964, the PLO has been recognised by the U.N. as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people”.
