Netanyahu's party slams 'peace partner'

JERUSALEM – Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party today slammed the Palestinian Authority for its refusal to recognize Israel and its declaration of the right to "resistance" at a major conference today.

"This conference today exposed there is no difference between Fatah and Hamas," Likud Knesset Member Danny Danon told WND.

"Netanyahu has made clear the PA must recognize Israel as a Jewish state. It is obvious we don't have a partner today that recognizes the right of Israel to exist, therefore, we should not stop building in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)."

Likud Information Minister Yuli Edelstein charged Fatah's calls to "resistance" are tantamount to a "declaration of war" against Israel.

"They explicitly say that they support continuing the armed struggle. Israelis pretending not to hear the clear trend demonstrated by (PA President) Abu Mazen (Abbas) and his people to adapt themselves to Hamas," Edelstein told reporters.

Abbas' Fatah party today opened its first official congress since 1989. At the meeting, which is taking place in Bethlehem, hundreds of voting Fatah members will discuss the future of their party and pass official resolutions outlining its major objectives.

Abbas opened the meeting by praising Palestinian "martyrs" and declaring "although peace is our choice, we reserve the right to resistance, legitimate under international law."

"Resistance" is a term used by the Palestinians usually to refer to terrorism against Israeli civilians.

Contrary to popular perception, Abbas' Fatah party has never officially recognized Israel as a Jewish state or even as a country with the right to exist.

In 1994, the Palestine Liberation Organization, or PLO, signed what was known as the "recognition principals" in which it formally agreed to recognize Israel. Fatah is the largest faction of the PLO, and as such, is thought to be party to the recognition agreement.

Fatah as a party, however, never officially declared it recognized the Jewish state. The last time the Fatah party held its official congress – in which it amended its charter – was in 1989. At that time, Fatah declared jihad on Israel and called for the Jewish state's destruction.

PLO leader Yasser Arafat later made a statement to the French media in which he claimed the portion of Fatah's charter calling for the destruction of Israel was null and void, but the terms were never officially nullified. According to Fatah bylaws, the group's charter can be changed only by vote during an official Fatah congress session.

Israel had hoped this week's congress would moderate the party's objectives.

But senior Fatah sources speaking to WND said a list of resolutions to be voted upon includes text affirming as one of Fatah's main objectives the "resistance" and "armed struggle" against the Jewish state.

The sources said it was "very likely" the "resistance" clause could be accepted during the congressional meeting by the majority of general Fatah voters, who tend to publicly express more radical views than Abbas.

Last month, Qadura Fares, a PA minister and member of parliament, confirmed in a WND exclusive interview his Fatah party will vote on whether to incorporate "resistance" against Israel in its official charter.

"We have to decide about resistance. I think the Palestinian people, just as anyone in the world, have a right to resistance to defend our freedom," Fares said. "We won't [give up] the resistance and embark on a strategy of only negotiations with the Israelis."

Abbas secured special permission from Israel to allow Fatah members to travel to Bethlehem to attend the conference from other West Bank towns and the Gaza Strip as well as from Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

According to a list obtained by WND, the Fatah delegates slated to attend the Bethlehem event include such notable jihad supporters as:

Kamal Ranam, the chief of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group in Ramallah. Ranam is accused of personally carrying out recent shootings, attacks against Israeli forces operating in the Ramallah and a shooting attack in northern Samaria in December 2000 that killed the leader of the ultra-nationalist Kahane Chai organization, Benyamin Kahane. Ranam last year was granted amnesty by then–Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as part of a gesture to bolster Abbas.
Jamal Abu Al-Rub, a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades from the Samarian village of Qabatya, just outside Jenin. Al-Rub is commonly known on the Palestinian street by his nickname, Hitler, for his routine public executions of Palestinians his group has suspected of collaborating with Israel. Al-Rub is accused by the Jewish state of planning several terror attacks.
Zacharia Zubeida, a former Al Aqsa Brigades terrorist leader from Jenin who was also pardoned by Olmert in 2007. Zubeida is accused of multiple terrorist attacks and for a time was one of Israel's most wanted terrorists.
Abu Mahar Ranam, a Fatah central committee member who openly opposes peace talks with Israel.
Sultan Abu al-Ainiin, Fatah's main representative in Lebanon. He is known for his excellent relations with the Hezbollah terrorist group.

Fares explained to WND the main goals of the Fatah congress.

"We have to check our political ideology. Many things happened in last 20 years since our last congress," he said. "We must renew and evaluate our internal laws, the structure of our movement and our messages for Palestinian unity. Lastly, we must elect a new leadership for Fatah institutions."

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