PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FAILS TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000251

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2024
TAGS: IS KDEM KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM PREL PTER
SUBJECT: PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FAILS TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING
ISSUES FOR FATAH SIXTH GENERAL CONGRESS

REF: 08 JERUSALEM 1410

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


1. (C) Summary. Fatah sources told ConGen that the
Preparatory Committee for the Fatah Sixth General Congress
made no significant progress during February 3-4 meetings in
Amman. Fatah Revolutionary Council (FRC) member Muhammad
al-Madani said the meetings did not resolve any of the three
key questions about the Congress: location, date, or
participation. The Committee tentatively decided to hold the
Congress outside the Palestinian territories, pending input
from the Governments of Jordan and Egypt; however, President
Abbas still wants the Congress held in the West Bank. Most
Committee members said the Congress should be postponed until
after Fatah-Hamas reconciliation, although Abbas wants it
held in the next few weeks. The Committee tentatively
approved a list of 1,500 delegates to the Congress, but
decided not to share a list with Abbas, fearing he would
convene the Congress without Fatah Central Committee (FCC)
approval. End Summary.

VENUE: TENTATIVE DECISION TO HOLD CONGRESS
OUTSIDE THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
--------------


2. (C) In February 3-4 meetings in Amman, members of the
Preparatory Committee for the Fatah Sixth General Congress
tentatively agreed that the Congress should be held outside
the Palestinian territories to accommodate delegates who are
unwilling or unable to enter the West Bank. The Committee
decided to request permission from the Governments of Egypt
and Jordan to hold the Congress in al-Arish in Egypt or Amman
or the Dead Sea in Jordan. FRC member Muhammad al-Madani
told PolSpec February 4 that most FCC and FRC members favored
this decision despite the preference of President Abbas and
grassroots West Bank leaders to hold the Congress in the West
Bank.

TIMING REMAINS UNCLEAR
--------------


3. (C) Committee members also tentatively agreed the
Congress should be within a month of approval from the GoE or
GoJ. However, according to al-Madani, Abbas believes that
the Congress should be as soon as possible. Al-Madani said
that, during a January 30 FCC meeting in Ramallah, Abbas
threatened to resign if the FCC did not announce the Congress
within three weeks, sparking an angry dispute with FCC member
Nassir Yusuf, who hurled profanities at Abbas. Committee
members in Amman, however, argued that the Congress should
follow Fatah-Hamas reconciliation, since it could otherwise
exacerbate fissures within Fatah. They also argued that
Fatah present a united face to the new U.S. and Israeli
administrations. Al-Madani told PolSpec that the Committee
did not resolve the timing at the Amman meeting and will
probably need to reconvene on this issue.

PARTICIPATION: DELEGATE LISTS WITHHELD FROM ABBAS
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Preparatory Committee members Jamal al-Dik and Yassir
Masri told PolSpec that the Committee decided that 1,500
delegates should attend the General Congress, although FCC
members Ahmad Qurei (Abu Ala'a) and Hakam Balawi pressed for
2,000. FRC member Adnan Samara and FCC member Nassir Yusuf
said the Committee tentatively approved the delegate list,
but will not to share it with Abbas until after the FCC and
FRC approve it. Samara said Committee members feared that
Abbas would use the list to convene the Congress in the West
Bank quickly without FCC approval. FRC member Azzam al-Ahmad
said Committee members also queried whether Hamas would allow
Fatah members from Gaza to participate in the Congress.

AL-MADANI: CONGRESS NO CLOSER
TO OCCURRING THAN PREVIOUSLY
--------------


5. (C) Muhammad al-Madani told PolSpec that the Committee
resolved none of the three key obstacles to the Congress. He
said Committee discussions were heated and argumentative, and
decisions are all subject to review by the FRC (expected to
meet February 15-16) and the FCC. In a recent meeting,
al-Madani said, Abbas tasked Hakam Balawi to prepare a list
of possible new FCC members. Balawi reportedly refused,
fearing a purge of current FCC members.
WALLES