The Eighth Conference of Fatah Movement: Between the Legitimacy of Appointment and the Legitimacy of Questionable Elections

Under normal circumstances, referring to the people through elections is the best way to express their true will. In the case of the Fatah movement, holding elections within the general conference is the best means to revive the movement and renew its leadership.

However, because the entire internal Palestinian situation is abnormal and unsound, and in light of the confusion and doubt that grips the movement's bases regarding the holding of the eighth conference, especially regarding the struggle between Fatah power centers and the manipulation of conference membership, and the attempts of most members of the Central Committee and the Revolutionary Council to guarantee their return to their positions and roles at any cost, as well as the soft exclusion attempts of certain figures in both the Central and Revolutionary councils, which will undermine the credibility of the conference and its outcomes, the credibility of the president in selecting conference members—even appointing members of the Central Committee or expanding the margin of appointees from the seasoned generation of loyal movement members, rather than those seeking positions and fame, like some who were appointed to the Executive Committee of the Organization—is considered stronger than the credibility of unfair elections managed and controlled by weak and dominated electoral committees. The grassroots that trust the president to lead the people cannot doubt his credibility in selecting members of the Central Committee of the Fatah Movement.

We say this as a preference between two fears or evils: unfair elections and appointments that contradict democracy. We acknowledge that appointments will make the appointed Central Committee member look down upon the grassroots, as he owes them no favors for reaching his position, but at the same time, one who comes through rigged elections will also despise and look down upon the grassroots, and will even accuse them of ignorance and backwardness.

Note: Someone hinted to me that the president wants to hold elections to pass (in a
democratic way) some individuals from outside the organization (new Fatah members) into the Central Committee, paving the way for their arrival to the Executive Committee!