GAZA: Fateh s sixth congress, which took place earlier this month, was a milestone in the movement's history and perhaps for the Palestinian people as a whole. Apart from the fact that it was the first Fateh conference to take place on Palestinian soil, it also elected an intriguing mix of veteran and new popular leaders who represent a younger generation that grew up fighting the Israeli occupation and are eager to fight the corruption that characterized the former leadership. For years, Fateh s leadership has been heavily criticized for corruption, complacency and lack of transparency. The new leadership must fight against corruption and push toward democratizing Fateh and other Palestinian institutions. It must strive to rebuild Palestinian faith in the movement; the security and economic improvements initiated by the government of Salam Fayyad must continue. Improving the daily life of the average Palestinian can only benefit Fateh in the long run. The results of the election to the 19-member Central Committee - Fateh's main executive body - put these goals within reach. The new members of the Central Committee have led the two Palestinian intifadas and subsequently the negotiations with Israel. They represent a cohort believed to be less corrupt and of impeccable patriotic record. Many were jailed in Israel or were Fateh members in Lebanon. Moreover, this is not the kind of leadership likely to take radical positions toward Israel and have, therefore, a better chance of reaching understandings with the Israelis. Three of the new delegates are ex-heads of Palestinian security apparatuses: Mohamed Dahlan, Jibril Rojoub and Tawfiq Tirawy; and Hussain Sheikh is currently head of Civil Affairs, which deals with Israel on a daily basis. These leaders know the Israeli mindset much better than the old guard, and are able to reach out to the Israeli public. Most of the new delegates advocate a tough stance toward Hamas, particularly Mohamed Dahlan, the former head of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Preventative Security Forces in Gaza, who left the strip in mid-2007 shortly before rival party Hamas seized control. Dahlan and other members of the young guard are not convinced that national dialogue with Hamas will succeed or attain positive results. While Fateh and the West Bank are experiencing security and economic improvements and the PA is receiving promises of new aid, Hamas and the Gaza Strip are experiencing tough times. Hamas' popularity in Gaza is declining; the two-year plus closure and blockade have deepened levels of poverty, unemployment, frustration and despair. Mahmoud al-Zahar, the leading Hamas leader, declared that until Fateh and Hamas have reconciled, general elections, due to take place on 25 January 2010, cannot be held in the West Bank and Gaza. Al-Zahar and his organization have every reason to issue such statements and to try and maintain the split between Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas decline in Palestinian public opinion and Fateh s surprising unity at the congress conclusion reduce Hamas chance of winning the next general elections. Fateh adopted a political program stating that the Palestinian national enterprise will not reach fruition until the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital and a just solution to the refugee problem. Although peace is our choice, we reserve the right to resistance, legitimate under international law, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said at the opening of the Fateh congress. The peace process with Israel must continue and reach positive results, otherwise Fateh will not be able to maintain its present rise in public opinion polls. Barack Obama is to launch a fresh peace plan by the end of September and is setting the stage for serious negotiations based on the two-state solution. Anything that can be done to reinforce the standing of the Palestinian Authority and Fateh and burnish the democratic credentials of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank would be welcome. There are some positive indicators that suggest that Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations will resume in the fall. Also, Egypt is pushing toward Palestinian reconciliation before the scheduled January 2010 elections. The extent to which Fateh's new elected bodies can contribute to achieving internal Palestinian reconciliation and to a peace process with Israel will be seen in the coming weeks and months. Mkhaimar Abusadais a professor of political science at al-Azhar University in Gaza. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).
