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Fatah holds key party congress | Fatah holds key party congress |
(29 minutes later) | |
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction has begun a congress - its first in 20 years. | Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction has begun a congress - its first in 20 years. |
A draft of the movement's new platform proposes to push to the sidelines a call to "armed struggle" against Israel, without dropping it altogether. | A draft of the movement's new platform proposes to push to the sidelines a call to "armed struggle" against Israel, without dropping it altogether. |
Fatah is widely seen as corrupt and ineffective, the BBC's Middle East correspondent Tim Franks says. | Fatah is widely seen as corrupt and ineffective, the BBC's Middle East correspondent Tim Franks says. |
He says there will also be close interest in who is elected to the faction's internal positions of power. | He says there will also be close interest in who is elected to the faction's internal positions of power. |
'Princes of the Gulf' | 'Princes of the Gulf' |
Some 2,000 delegates are convening for Fatah's three-day congress in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. | Some 2,000 delegates are convening for Fatah's three-day congress in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. |
They will be discussing a new platform that seeks to rejuvenate the movement. | They will be discussing a new platform that seeks to rejuvenate the movement. |
Profile: Fatah Palestinian movement Breathing life back into Nablus Gazans seek end to bitter split Who are Hamas? | |
However, the draft document proposes to keep the option of "armed struggle" if peace talks with Israel fail. | However, the draft document proposes to keep the option of "armed struggle" if peace talks with Israel fail. |
It also says that an Israeli settlement freeze in the West Bank is a precondition for any further talks with Israel. | It also says that an Israeli settlement freeze in the West Bank is a precondition for any further talks with Israel. |
The congress comes as the US is hoping to broker a new round of peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. | The congress comes as the US is hoping to broker a new round of peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. |
Maybe more important is also the issue who the delegates elect to the internal positions of power, our correspondent says. | Maybe more important is also the issue who the delegates elect to the internal positions of power, our correspondent says. |
He adds that - in the words of one reformer - the current leaders are like princes in the Gulf. | He adds that - in the words of one reformer - the current leaders are like princes in the Gulf. |
Opinion polls still suggest that Fatah is currently more popular than its main rival - the Islamist Hamas movement which controls the Gaza Strip. | Opinion polls still suggest that Fatah is currently more popular than its main rival - the Islamist Hamas movement which controls the Gaza Strip. |
But without a strong infusion of freshness, in the long-term Palestinians say that Fatah will only decline, our correspondent says. | But without a strong infusion of freshness, in the long-term Palestinians say that Fatah will only decline, our correspondent says. |