Stone throwing. Old-new policy?
Photo: AFP
Will the failure of peace talks between Israel
and the Palestinians spark a new wave of violence in the region? A Fatah
source told Ynet on Sunday that following the resumption of settlement construction and the stalemate
in the direct negotiations with Israel, many organization activists believe it is time to renew the violent struggle in the form of a "stone intifada."
Movement officials fear that the political stalemate has damaged Fatah's image, particularly in light of the fact that there are no signs of an increase in the "popular struggle" against Israel as was decided in the movement's conference and adopted as a policy by its leaders.
On the backdrop of the explosive political situation, Fatah's leadership has been weighing its alternatives in the past few weeks. According to the source, the movement will consider returning to a struggle in some of Fatah's districts, including Jerusalem.
Stone Throwing
Ynet reporters
Police detain two of children caught on tape hurling stones at car of David Be'eri before being run over. Silwan man who threw stones in same incident indicted
The source said that in light of recent developments, Fatah is portrayed as being too passive and as a movement who settles for issuing statements to the media.
He stressed, however, that the internal discourse on the matter did not necessarily entail an immediate return to the path of terror, due to what he defined as "additional considerations" – many members' reliance on the Salam Fayyad government, which strongly objects to any violent struggle, including stone throwing.
The source noted that there was a dispute among the movement's members as to the Palestinian people's readiness for another round of conflict with Israel.
"At this stage we are directing our thoughts towards the Jerusalem area, where the situation is critical," he explained. "I don't know what developments took place when the negotiations reached a dead end while the settlers continued running wild all over."
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