FATAH ELECTIONS SUSPENDED IN JERUSALEM

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000454

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS
SUBJECT: FATAH ELECTIONS SUSPENDED IN JERUSALEM


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


1. (C) Summary. The Fatah Central Committee's (FCC)
Mobilization and Discipline (MAD) Committee organized a
meeting of 935 Fatah members from East Jerusalem and 26
surrounding villages in Ramallah on March 8 to elect the
Jerusalem regional committee and Secretary. After a heated
discussion between old guard and grassroots members, a fist
fight broke out, and MAD Director Muhammad Madani announced
the postponement of the elections. Fatah member Khaled
Muhsin told ConGen Pol Specialist that MAD plans to set a new
date for elections, possibly by the end of March, provided
rival Fatah groups agree. End Summary.

Jerusalem Elections End in Fight
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2. (C) In an effort by the Fatah Central Committee's (FCC)
Mobilization and Discipline (MAD) Committee to complete
internal Fatah elections, 935 Fatah members from East
Jerusalem and 26 surrounding villages met in Ramallah March 8
to elect the fifteen-person Jerusalem regional committee and
Committee Secretary. According to Fatah member Mahdi
al-Ashab, FCC member Naser Yousef inaugurated the session,
urged members to participate in elections, and assured them
of the FCC commitment to the Fatah Sixth Congress. Speaking
next, grassroots leader Hamadi al-Rajabi criticized
negotiations with Israel, praised the March 6 shooting attack
at Mercaz Herav in Jerusalem, and accused FCC members of
handpicking the electors in the room. Grassroots leader Said
Yaqin accused al-Rajabi of sabotaging the session and called
al-Rajabi and his followers "Israeli collaborators." Shortly
after, a fist fight broke out between al-Rajabi and Yaqin's
supporters. PA police and security services broke up the
fight after ten minutes.

Elections Suspended
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3. (C) MAD Director (and Fatah Revolutionary Council (FRC)
member) Muhammad Madani told ConGen Pol Specialist that he
consulted with Ahmad Qureia (Abu Ala'a) after the fight broke
out and on March 8 announced the suspension of Jerusalem
elections until further notice. Madani said grassroots
members gathered at the MAD office and said they will block
the elections until various Fatah groups reach agreement on
going forward. Madani said the current seven-person
Jerusalem Fatah regional committee is considered "resigned."


4. (C) Madani told ConGen Pol Specialist that tensions arose
among those vying for the position of Jerusalem regional
committee secretary, which includes: Yaqin; al-Rajabi; and
Abd al-Qader al-Khatib, head of the MAD Prisoners Committee
and former security guard for Faisal al-Husseini. According
to Madani, Abu Ala'a supports al-Khatib. FRC member Othman
Abu Garbiya and General Intelligence (GI) members support
al-Rajabi. He said after elections were suspended, Yaqin
offered to step down as a candidate and support al-Khatib "in
the battle against al-Rajabi and the increasing influence of
General Intelligence forces within Fatah."


5. (C) Comment: The suspension of Jerusalem elections
reflects the mounting tension between Fatah's rival groups,
particularly between the old guard and the grassroots, who
view regional elections as the key to a representative Sixth
Congress and who will measure the success of reform by their
own participation in the Congress. End Comment.
WALLES