Yesterday, I blogged 6 reasons why I’m concerned by the Fatah confab. Today, I have three more reasons to be concerned.
1. We’re seeing the first woeful indications of who Mahmoud Abbas would like to succeed him.
Khaled Abut Toameh writes:
To further strengthen the old guard camp, Abbas sought and received permission from Israel to allow Mohammed Ghnaim, a hard-line Fatah leader, to move from Tunisia to the West Bank. Ghnaim is one of a handful of senior Fatah leaders who remain strongly opposed to the Oslo Accords, insisting that the "armed struggle" against Israel is the only way to "liberate Palestine."
Ghnaim is now being touted as Abbas's successor as head of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority as to ensure the continuity of the old guard hegemony over the affairs of the Palestinians in the West Bank.
2. Fatah’s inexplicable denial of Oslo shows its true colors.
David Schenker explains why:
In short, the desire for popular support has not moderated Hamas, but has radicalized Fatah . . .
The leading faction of the PLO that signed the Oslo Accords with Israel — in which both sides agreed to "recognize their mutual legitimate and political rights . . . and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement and historic reconciliation through the agreed political process" — now says it never consented to the terms of the deal. Fatah's formal rejection of the Oslo terms of reference essentially constitutes the PLO's renunciation of the entire agreement.
3. Decisions made at this congress will likely undermine Salam Fayyad's authority.
That's Israel's fear. Fayyad’s the only person who gives the PA any real credibility in the eyes of donor states and Israeli officials who deal with the PA on a day-to-day basis. Tom Friedman even coined a new buzzword: Fayyadism
Fayyadism is based on the simple but all-too-rare notion that an Arab leader’s legitimacy should be based not on slogans or rejectionism or personality cults or security services, but on delivering transparent, accountable administration and services.
The sad irony is that on the very day Friedman comes to rightfully praise Fayyad, Fatah comes to bury him.
