CONFLICT CONTINUES BETWEEN FATAH FIELD COMMITTEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001100

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG KPAL KDEM IS
SUBJECT: CONFLICT CONTINUES BETWEEN FATAH FIELD COMMITTEES
AND ABU ALA'A

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. In a June 6 meeting with PolChief, Fatah
West Bank Field Committee Chairman Hussein al Sheikh said the
head of Fatah's Office of Mobilization Ahmed Qurei (Abu
Ala,a) is trying to restructure Fatah to consolidate his own
power and undermine the Field Committees. Al Sheikh said he
and his Gaza counterpart, Majed Abu Shamala, told PA
President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) that Abu Ala'a's proposed
structure could provoke violent clashes within Fatah. He
said they threatened to resign and prevent Abu Ala'a's
restructuring. Al Sheikh also said some Fatah Revolutionary
Council (FRC) members discussed a conference that would
replace a Sixth Fatah General Conference. Al Sheikh said he
will argue against this effort at June 8-9 FRC meetings and
use the issue to create alliances among grassroots Fatah
leaders. Al Sheikh expressed concern over &increasing
interference8 by the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
END SUMMARY.

ABU ALA,A,S EMPIRE-BUILDING
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2. (C) In a June 6 meeting, Fatah West Bank Field Committee
Chairman Hussein al Sheikh presented ConGen PolChief with a
new Fatah organizational chart developed by Abu Ala,a &to
serve his own interests.8 Al Sheikh pointed out that the
new structure eliminates the Field Committees, ignores Abu
Mazen as party leader, and elevates Abu Ala,a as Fatah's
General Commissioner, controlling all military and financial
entities. Al Sheikh said the proposed structure does not
relate to the Fatah Central Committee (FCC) or Fatah
Revolutionary Council (FRC),and he anticipates opposition
from many FCC members, including Nabil Sha,ath, Hakim
Bellawi, and Rawhi Fattouh, not out of support for the Field
Committees, but rather personal motivations. The structure
is more appropriate for a bureaucracy than a movement and
will not facilitate internal party elections, Al Sheikh
concluded.

ABU MAZEN,S RESPONSE
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3. (C) After repeated, unproductive meetings with Abu Ala,a
to reach a modus vivendi, al Sheikh said he and his Gaza
counterpart Majed Abu Shamala told Abu Mazen they will resign
and block implementation of Abu Ala,a,s plans, which they
believe could lead to violent clashes within Fatah. Asked
how Abu Mazen will resolve the overlapping mandates and
continuing quarrels, Al Sheikh expressed dissatisfaction with
Abu Mazen,s indecision and added that all the Fatah
Secretaries-General join his opposition to Abu Ala'a.

SIPDIS

FRC PLANS TO BLOCK GENERAL CONFERENCE
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4. (C) Al Sheikh said some FRC members convened unofficially
at Othman Abu Gharbiya,s residence to discuss a
&mini-conference8 of appointed, not elected, delegates.
(Note: The Fatah charter includes this option, which has
been dismissed until now. End Note.) He said the resulting
body would circumvent plans for a Sixth Fatah General
Conference, and he will condemn it at the June 8-9 FRC
meetings. He said he wants to make public this rump FRC
effort, because he believes the public will see the FRC is
not serious about a General Congress, and he can use the
issue to create alliances among grassroots Fatah leaders.

USG ASSISTANCE TO FATAH
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5. (C) Al Sheikh criticized what he described as increasing
attempts by NDI to mediate between himself and Abu Ala'a and
commented that NDI is working beyond its technical training
mandate and embarrassing him. Al Sheikh said he recommended
that NDI remove itself from this conflict, as its efforts
exacerbate the disunity and hurt him politically, because of
his assistance agreement with NDI. Al Sheikh threatened to
withdraw West Bank Field Committee members from NDI
trainings. ConGen PolChief asked him to take no such steps
and to continue work with NDI. (Note: ConGen is following up
on these concerns with NDI staff. End Note.)


6. (C) Asked about Abu Gharbiya's May 26 article urging
Fatah to return its roots and end foreign, namely U.S. and
European, interference, al Sheikh dismissed the accusations
as coming from someone with no grassroots support.

CREATING PRESSURE FOR REFORM

JERUSALEM 00001100 002 OF 002


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7. (C) Al Sheikh said holding the fifth round of municipal
elections might help energize Fatah and could be a good
experiment, since municipal elections are less critical than
PLC elections. If undertaken, the elections must be phased
deliberately to minimize Fatah's risk if it loses in places,
al Sheikh cautioned. He noted that Hamas might not support
holding the fifth round.
WALLES