Abbas. Won't seek reelection
Photo: AFP
Fatah considers reverting to popular warfare
Senior operative says Abbas' retirement may force Fatah to resort to violent protests, stone-throwing
Following Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' announcement that he would not run for another term, a senior Fatah official told Ynet that if serious progress was not made soon in peace talks, the organization would consider reverting to popular warfare.
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"We are not talking about terror attacks and weapons, but we are talking about protests and (throwing) stones, like the anti-fence protests, and about strikes and protests by the people, so that the world understands that the next step will be unpleasant and we go back to the way things were before Oslo," he said.
The Fatah operative stressed that the organization was not currently planning an intifada the likes of which was instigated in 2001.
"But there are people who understand that clinging to the peace process damaged Fatah," he said. "It presented us at best as people clinging to a failing process, with Israel giving us the finger time and time again, and at worst as collaborators with Israel."
He explained that Fatah, as the leading Palestinian movement, had many options to choose from. "The main option is its ability to get people on the streets, and the movement will be forced to discuss it," he said.
After Abbas announced his retirement from politics a flyer was issued by the military and political wings of Fatah calling on the president to retract his statement.
The flyer surprised officials in Israel as, according to agreements, the movement's military wings were supposed to be disarmed and taken out of commission.
