• Ahead of PA elections, terror organization PFLP emphasizes its goal to destroy Israel, confirming violence and terror is “foremost” means of struggle:

• “[PFLP emphasized] its firm opposition to recognizing the racist Zionist entity, and its determination to continue with all forms of the struggle, and foremost among them armed resistance, in order to liberate every grain of the soil of Palestine.”

• Abbas kicks out member of Fatah Central Committee for announcing he will run in elections on separate list from Fatah

In advance of the PA elections, Fatah Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub has announced that Fatah urges “all the national activity factions” to run together on a joint list. [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 28, 2021]

Rajoub’s statement came after the terror organization PFLP announced its election platform, which included rejection of Israel’s right to exist and a reiteration of PFLP’s long term goal to seek Israel’s destruction using violence and terror:

“[PFLP] emphasized its firm opposition to recognizing the racist Zionist entity, and its determination to continue with all forms of the struggle, and foremost among them armed resistance, in order to liberate every grain of the soil of Palestine.”

[Ma’an, independent Palestinian news agency, Feb. 21, 2021]

The PFLP further urged to “revoke” the Palestinian recognition of “the Zionist entity” and demanded an annulment of “the humiliating and catastrophic Oslo Accords.”

The day after the PFLP’s announcement, Rajoub announced that “Fatah greatly appreciate the decision” of the PFLP to run in the elections, not citing any reservations at all regarding the terror organization’s election platform and goal to destroy Israel. [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 22, 2021] Less than a week later, Rajoub called on all factions to join one list.

Recent events show that running on one joint list may be more than just a suggestion but rather a dictate from Abbas. When a member of Fatah’s Central Committee announced he would form a separate list that would run separately from Fatah in the upcoming PA elections, Abbas promptly kicked him out of Fatah and of the Central Committee:

Excerpt from Abbas’ decision: “The Fatah Central Committee has decided to expel Nasser Al-Qidwa from the committee and from Fatah, in accordance with its decision that was made in the meeting on March 8, 2021…[Al-Qidwa] will be given 48 hours to retract his declared positions, which transgress Fatah’s regulations and decisions, and which harm its unity – and if not, he will be expelled…In accordance with Fatah’s regulations and decisions, and to preserve its unity, it views its decision as valid as of today.
Ramallah, March 11, 2021
Mahmoud Abbas
Fatah Chairman”

[Official Fatah Facebook page, March 11, 2021]

Whether one list or not, it is important that Israel recognize that Abbas’ Fatah’s wish to run on one list together with terror organizations that openly call for Israel’s destruction is further confirmation that there is no real Palestinian recognition of Israel.

The following are longer excerpts of the statements cited above:

The image shows a letter signed by PA and Fatah Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. In the middle of the letterhead at the top is the Fatah logo that includes a grenade, crossed rifles, and the PA map of “Palestine” that presents all of Israel together with the PA areas as “Palestine.”

Text of letter: “Decision
By the Fatah Movement Central Committee

The Fatah Central Committee has decided to expel Nasser Al-Qidwa from the committee and from Fatah, in accordance with its decision that was made in the meeting on March 8, 2021 (the decision follows Al-Qidwa’s announcement earlier in March 2021 that he will form a separate list in the upcoming PA elections -Ed.). [This decision] determined that he will be given 48 hours to retract his declared positions, which transgress Fatah’s regulations and decisions, and which harm its unity – and if not, he will be expelled. [The decision was made] after all the efforts made towards him by the brothers entrusted with the matter failed.
In accordance with Fatah’s regulations and decisions, and to preserve its unity, it views its decision as valid as of today.

Ramallah, March 11, 2021

Mahmoud Abbas
Fatah Chairman”

[Official Fatah Facebook page, March 11, 2021]

Headline: “Rajoub: We will contact all the factions and elements of our people to participate in one elections list”
“Fatah Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub announced that the Fatah Central Committee has decided to contact all the national activity factions and all the elements of our people from the private sector, academia, and the professional unions to encourage them to participate in one elections list that expresses our people’s aspirations.
In an interview yesterday [Feb. 27, 2021] with the [official PA] radio station The Voice of Palestine… Rajoub emphasized Fatah’s commitment to the path of ending the [Fatah-Hamas] rift and to building national cooperation.”

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 28, 2021]

Jibril Rajoub also serves as Head of the PLO Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, Chairman of the Palestine Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the Palestinian Scout Association (PSA).

Headline: “The Popular Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] decides to participate in the coming elections for the [PA] Parliament”
“The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced on Sunday [Feb. 21, 2021] that it has decided to participate in the coming elections for the [PA] Parliament (Legislative Council). The PFLP General Central Committee held a meeting today, ‘during which it discussed the great dangers surrounding the Palestinian cause that aim to eliminate our national rights, especially following the signing of the humiliating and catastrophic Oslo Accords for which our people has paid dearly. It emphasized the unity of the territory, the people, and the identity in our lands that were occupied in 1948 (i.e., Israel), in the Palestinian West Bank, in the Gaza Strip, in Jerusalem, in all the refugee camps, and in the diaspora. It also emphasized that our people’s right of return to its land, from which it was expelled in 1948, is the foundation and the essence of the Palestinian cause. It also emphasized its firm opposition to recognizing the racist Zionist entity, and its determination to continue with all forms of the struggle, and foremost among them armed resistance, in order to liberate every grain of the soil of Palestine.’

The PFLP Central Committee decided ‘to participate in the elections according to its political fundamentals and its permanent and principled positions regarding its conflict with the Zionist entity:

A. The PFLP’s participation in the elections does not mean that it will be a partner in strengthening the humiliating and catastrophic Oslo Accords… and it does not mean adaptation to this reality, but rather an absolute rejection and opposition [to this reality] in all the political and democratic ways and in all the ways of struggle.

B. The PFLP’s participation in these elections is an attempt to manage and correct the internal balance of powers, in order to reduce the decision making that is being done without cooperation and in an individual manner, and in order to take advantage of our presence in the political confrontation with the influential leadership that still adheres to Oslo and its consequences on the ground…

E. The PFLP firmly refuses to recognize the Zionist entity, calls to revoke the unfortunate recognition of this entity, and works for this purpose.

F. Relying on its principles, the PFLP rejects and opposes all the political arrangements whose goal is to eliminate the Palestinian cause. It also rejects the exploitation of the elections in order to enter new negotiations under the administration of [US President Joe] Biden, which constitutes a continuation of the attempts to eliminate the Palestinian cause…

H. The PFLP continues to firmly oppose the Oslo Accords and that which stems from them, and demands that the PA and the leadership annul them and cut off the connection with the occupation.’ …

The central committee concluded its meeting with a blessing of honor and pride for our people wherever they are. It again committed to our lauded Martyrs and our heroic prisoners that the PFLP will continue to be loyal to them and to adhere to the goals for which they struggled and continue to struggle – the liberation of all of Palestine and the establishment of the democratic State of Palestine on its land.”

[Ma’an, independent Palestinian news agency, Feb. 21, 2021]

Headline: “Rajoub: We received a letter from the Popular Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] on its decision to participate in the coming elections for the [PA] Parliament”

“Fatah Movement Central Committee Secretary Jibril Rajoub said: ‘We received a letter from Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) fighter Abu Ahmed Fuad, in which he informed us that the PFLP Central Committee has decided to participate in the coming elections for the [PA] Parliament (Legislative Council).’

In a press release yesterday [Feb. 21, 2021], Rajoub added: ‘We in Fatah greatly appreciate this decision, which constitutes an important incentive to all elements of the Palestinian people.’ He also expressed ‘hope that this decision will be a factor encouraging everyone to participate in the democratic process.’”

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 22, 2021]

Reprinted with author’s permission from Palestinian Media Watch