'Great day.' Zubeidi
Photo: Ali Waked
Prominent Al-Aqsa Brigades figures to attend Fatah congress
Five former commanders of Fatah's armed wing, including Zubeidi, to participate in opening of movement's sixth congress in Bethlehem with Israel's authorization
Seven commanders from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's armed wing, are expected to attend the opening of Fatah's sixth general congress in Bethlehem on Tuesday.
Perhaps the most prominent commander is Zakariya Zubeidi, who headed the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades infrastructure in the Jenin refugee camp and was among the 24 wanted Palestinians who were granted amnesty by Israel as part of a series of gestures to the Fatah movement and its leader, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
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The four other Al-Aqsa commanders who will take part in the congress are Kamal Ranam, former chief of the Brigades in Ramallah, Rabiya Hamed, Ziad Talahmah and Tareq Qindach.
Speaking to Ynet, Zubeidi said Al-Aqsa commanders' participation in the congress "is a great day for Fatah."
"We hope that the congress will vote in a worthy leadership that will lead the movement to a better future," he said.
Zubeidi criticized Hamas' leadership in Gaza for prohibiting senior Fatah figures who reside in the coastal enclave from attending the congress, saying the act "hurt Palestinian democracy and will widen the rift between the factions."
So far only 27 of the 450 Fatah delegates who live in Hamas-ruled Gaza have been able to cross into the Palestinian Authority through Erez crossing in order to attend the congress. Hamas said they would be prosecuted upon their return.
The congress, Fatah's first in 20 years, will be held amid an internal struggle over the movement's leadership and identity, as senior members are working diligently to ensure their election to the Central Committee.
Saudi daily al-Watan reported on Saturday that Fatah plans to use its general congress as a stage to present and vote on its political platform that opposes Israel's definition as a Jewish state.
Details leaked to the paper of the proposed draft indicate that Fatah is interested in "Boosting the fight against the settlements, the separation fence and the Judaization of Jerusalem, through civil means and restrained violence".
Senior Fatah figures estimate that the elections for the Central Committee will pit three major camps against each other: The group of current committee members, the camp of Mohammed Dahlan (former Fatah leader in Gaza) and that of former Tanzim head Marwan Barghouti's camp, which has broad support within Al-Aqsa.
