Special Report: Inside Fatah - A “Moderate” Entity? (The Center for Near East Policy Research)

Can “strengthening” Mahmoud Abbas and his party improve the situation in the Middle East?

by Arlene Kushner

There is a prevailing notion in Western diplomatic circles today that Hamas – and
only Hamas – is the stumbling block to a successful negotiation of peace between
Israel and the Palestinian Authority. According to this thinking, Fatah – and
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in particular – are essentially
“moderate” in outlook and should be strengthened in the interests of achieving that
peace.

The question remains: Can this approach be substantiated? Is the Fatah indeed
“moderate”? Would it sustain a genuine peace with Israel?

Statements offered to a Western world eager to embrace peace are easy to proclaim.
These statements represent a major difference in policy between Fatah and Hamas:

While Hamas is boldly belligerent and declares its intentions outright, Fatah appears
to play the game. But this difference is one of style and not of ultimate intentions.
A review of salient facts dispels the notion that Fatah is “moderate.”
The argument has been made that it was the influence of Arafat that caused Fatah to
lack moderation, and that we are seeing a “new” Fatah since Arafat’s death. There is
scant evidence to support this.

In the battle currently ensuing between Fatah and Hamas, is it reasonable – on the
face of the evidence – to support and bolster Fatah with the expectation that it would genuinely pursue peace? The inescapable conclusion is that this is not a reasonable expectation.

We begin by looking at the Fatah of today, for this is of immediate concern.
We then turn to a broader look at Fatah, and a consideration of the years leading up to the present. No accurate understanding of Fatah would be possible without this
perspective. What we find is that, while style may have changed, the essence of Fatah
goals and policies have not.

See the Full Report: Inside Fatah - A “Moderate” Entity?

Special Report: ON THE EVE OF THE SUMMIT AND RAMADAN, THE PALESTINIAN BROADCAST MEDIA: A SURVEY REPORT (The Center for Near East Policy Research)

ON THE EVE OF THE SUMMIT AND RAMADAN—
THE PALESTINIAN BROADCAST MEDIA:
A SURVEY REPORT

by Michael Widlanski

General Summary

On the eve of PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas’s planned visit to
Washington, the broadcast media of the Palestinian Authority (PA)
maintained a generally tough anti-Israeli and sometimes even anti-
American posture, regarding talks with Israel and American actions in
the Arab world.

For example the Fatah newspaper Al-Hayat al-Jadida published a
cartoon on October 15 condemning America for actions in Iraq and
Syria:


Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 15, p 15, reprinting cartoon from Qatari newspaper Al-
Watan, showing defiant Syrian flag being pulled down by balls and chains labeled
“America” and “Iraq.”

Although many Arab newspapers reported that Dr. Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen) was set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Washington, the official media reported (from late September) that such a summit was not a foregone conclusion, and that it depended on Israel meeting Palestinian demands.

View the Full Report: