Over 240 members of the main Palestinian political faction, Fatah, resigned in the Gaza Strip yesterday in a sign of internal division ahead of a vote to choose parliamentary election candidates. The 244 mainly young members from the southern town of Rafah, signed a mass letter of resignation saying that they were quitting in protest at âthe lack of accountability and democratization within Fatahâ. They also demanded jobs.Fatah, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, is due to pick candidates next month for January parliamentary elections in which it will be challenged for the first time by Islamist group Hamas. Fatah is divided between members demanding reforms and an old guard from the days of late leader Yasser Arafat that is widely seen as being tainted by corruption and incompetence. The members who resigned said they feared the primary elections would not be fair as the old guard has more influence. âThe resignation is addressed to Fatahâs leadership ... so that all members of Fatah will be assured of their rights... Also to guarantee that Fatah members will be given jobs,â said Abdel-Raouf Barbakh, one of the signatories.
The Fatah primary election is due to be its first. Previously, candidates were appointed by the leadership. The only previous parliamentary election was in 1996. Various armed Fatah factions in Gaza are also at the heart of lawlessness in the territory, which has intensified following Israelâs withdrawal last month.