Fatah: Reality and options 49 years after its formation

49 years is the age of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement Fatah, the movement that returned Palestine to the World’s political map after years of defeat and oppression.This movement, despite the lack of even the most basic resources, it was able to accomplish several achievements and victories against the Israeli occupation since it was established, including the Al-Karama battle, the Beirut War in 1982 and then leading the first and second Intifada, the diplomatic resistance, the peace negotiations, the United Nations and others important issues in the agenda of the movement.After a long period of struggle and the ability to combine all kinds of resistance, whether armed or non-violent resistance and Negotiations, the Fatah movement forged thousands of martyrs, wounded and prisoners, especially now as negotiations with Israel will either lead to a framework based on well-known facts that would lead to a manageable state which is what Fatah wants, or a state of returning to a revolution, with an emphasis on the need  to remember the incidents that has occurred, which is why Fatah seeks to arrange its internal affairs, to be able to coexist and continue to lead the Palestinian people.The thing that promoted the talk about the future of Fatah is the incident when groups of Palestinian Youths from various cities in Palestine and in the Diaspora, kicked off to the streets during the 49th anniversary of the Fatah movement, covering their faces and holding Fatah flags aside, with weapons to confirm that the Fatah movement is determined to reach its real goal of establishing an independent State of Palestine and put an end to the occupation. These youths confirm that Fatah is related to the history of the freedom and resistance fighters, without being affected by what had happened to Fatah, especially after the Oslo Accords and the decline of its popularity due to several issues. These include the Israeli occupation and the pressure it created on Fatah from one side, and the internal issues including the corruption cases from the other side.The current generation of Fatah cadres confirms the importance of continuing the resistance in its various forms, stressing that they are aware of the quest to pave a way for a truce with the Israelis through the efforts of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and to advance the peace process and achieve Palestinian rights through negotiations. Yet, at the same time they are also committed to continue with the popular resistance of the Palestinian revolution that was lead by the first Fatah martyrs Abu Ammar (Yasser Arafat) Abu Jihad and Abu Iyad.Mohammed al- Ja’fari, General-Secretary of Fatah in the al-Daheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, told PNN that he is very aware of the Israeli occupation and its supporters, and that Fatah has made a lot of sacrifices, including both the martyrs and prisoners. He added that the coming generations affiliated with Fatah will benefit from what the first generation, which is the generation of the Central Committee, has provided; as they will continue with their struggle against the Israeli occupation if the negotiations fails.Fatah was able with its resistance and positions to transmit the Palestinian revolution from the armed to the popular resistance and then to the negotiations. Fatah can however also reverse the mechanis, if Israel continues with its aggression and racism.Al-Ja’fari added that the fact that Fatah was able to win over the majority of the nations of the world to its side, as well as the UN vote on the state's decision (making Palestine an observer state), is the biggest proof of Fatahs ability and its successful political policies, as well as its continued national resistance, which Israel has attempted to control and destroy, yet have failed in doing.   Al-Ja’fari assured that the Israeli experience with the Palestinian people for the past 50 years, gave the people a chance to know that Fatah is in the front lines of resistance including military, popular and political fronts and also that Fatah is guaranteed to achieve the Palestinian goals.He added that the young Palestinians that participated in the event, will help to assure that the history of the movement which have so far lasted for 50 years, is vital and unbreakable despite all attempts to destroy it.Mohammed Taha Abu Alia, Member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, said that Fatah is still a national liberation movement, and will continue to define itself as a national liberation movement, until the liberation from the Israeli occupation, as defined by the Sixth Fatah Conference.Abu Alia confirms that Fatah recognizes the seriousness of the situation, as a movement that oversees the Palestinian political situation, through its decision to undergo the hardest and longest negotiations to achieve the national rights of the Palestinians, who are subjected to the worst forms of historical injustice, stressing that Fatah also realizes that these negotiations have a deadline which is in the end of March and after that there will be other procedures.Abu Alia pointed out that the Council recognizes the importance at this stage, and the alternatives Fatah must choose if the negotiations fail, adding that the most important of these options is to head to the UN and its institutions. First and foremost  the International Criminal Court to hold Israel accountable for its crimes.Abu Alia also said that the important option for Fatah is through the popular resistance, stressing that Fatah can regain its role on ground level and that the occupier must learn that the Palestinian people rejects the occupation, and will confront the occupiers by all means in order to remove them from Palestinian territory.Abu Alia stressed that Israel is dealing carefully with Fatah because it realizes that this movement is capable of returning to the resistance against the occupation and the Al-Aqsa intifada is a proof of it.He pointed out that Fatah is building up the popular resistance gradually in small areas, so that it may extend to all Palestinian cities if the occupation continues with its racist policies.Advisory Board member of the movement, Salah Ta’mari, told PNN that Fatah is able to stand up to itself and continue with its pioneer role, but it needs to make important decisions on different aspects, including strengthening its internal situation and position through holding those who make mistakes accountable. Al-Ta’mari pointed out that Fatah was and remains the guarantee to achieve the Palestinian people’s will of establishing an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, and these are the basic goals that are included in Fatahs goals since its formation. Regarding the future of Fatah, Ta’mari said that it is open to all possibilities even if the negotiations fail due to the Israeli settlements, especially because the international and humanitarian law and the international community stand with the Palestinians. The international community also stand with the popular resistance, and have given the Palestinians a chance to head to the international arena and go to the United Nations.Al-Ta’mari confirmed that the Fatah movement was a pride for the Arab Nation, stressing that the goal before the al-Karama Battle was to win with the Jordanian army, and so they did.    Al-Ta’mari called on Fatah to maintain the relationship with the Palestinian people, and to stay committed in achieving all the rights. Most important are the right of return as well as the holy sites and borders that Israel attempts to control.He also called on the movement to maintain unity and end the national division, noting that Fatah is able to pressure to end the division in various ways, but he said that the Fatah movement and its leadership consider the division as a stain in the history of the Palestinian people. He added that the national unity must be promoted and reached.Tawfik Terawi, head of the Palestinian committee, said that the Fatah movement was launched as a Palestinian national project aiming to liberate Palestine, and that it had faced several conspiracies, lots of successes and failures alike.   Regarding the negotiations, Al-Terawi said they are a strategy not an option, thus if the negotiations fail, and they are likely to fail, there would be another form of resistance, which could include addressing the international institutions.Dr. Sameeh Shbeb, a political analyzer, said that Fatah has passed through several stages; the armed resistance, the political diplomacy resistance and the popular resistance. He added that if the negotiations fail, Fatah will choose the popular resistance and head to the UN institutions.Nasser Al-Lahaam, Editor-in-Chief of Ma’an News Agency, said that Israel is still afraid of Fatah because it realizes that this movement has a great impact on the Palestinian issue and people, even if it doesn’t use armed resistance.He added that Israel also realizes that Fatah is capable of hiding its secret information from the Israeli and American Intelligence Agencies.After 49 years, Fatah is still able to confront all the challenges and pressures. Yet, the question remains: What will Fatah be in the Future?