Al-Natsheh: The Eighth General Conference of 'Fatah' Must Be a Step Forward Towards Reviving the Movement to Restore Its Vitality and Complete the Liberation and Independence Project

SadaNews - The Secretary-General of the National Popular Conference for Jerusalem, Major General Bilal Al-Natsheh, stated that the current stage and the threats it poses to the Palestinian cause require a reevaluation of the strategies for Palestinian struggle and the political efforts led by the Palestinian leadership and the PLO, to achieve tangible accomplishments on the ground that lead to realizing the Palestinian right to establish its independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, after accomplishing the historical task of ending the occupation, which all factions of the PLO, foremost among them 'Fatah', are based upon. Al-Natsheh added in press statements today, Friday, in light of the accelerating preparations for the Eighth General Conference of 'Fatah' and the parallel preparations for holding local elections, that the movement stands at a crossroads, either to revive its cadres and institutions or face a retreat, which would amount to actual devastation of the great Palestinian national project, of which the National Authority is the solid nucleus, despite all attempts to weaken it by the occupation and the United States. He emphasized that the revival of 'Fatah' is possible and available if justice prevails between the historical leadership of the movement and the second generation in the movement, alongside the youth army, which is the foundational supporter of 'Fatah', and must receive its due in both the general conference and the local elections, noting that Jerusalem should be at the forefront, as the real and serious conflict with the occupation revolves around it, parallel to the battle for the defense of the West Bank, where Israel's ideological agenda aims to unilaterally determine its fate through annexation. The Secretary-General of the National Popular Conference for Jerusalem stressed that the current and future stage requires selecting a solid cadre with extensive experience in serious organizational work that restores 'Fatah's' prestige and its leading role in Palestinian society, especially after the collapse of destructive ideologies and the grand slogans raised by others, particularly after October 7, 2023. He noted that the realism of the 'Fatah' movement and the sincerity of its political and social program have made it immensely popular in the Palestinian street, despite polling indicators from paid institutions aimed at failing or even politically and publicly toppling the movement. He considered that 'Fatah's' struggle on the levels of resistance and politics for decades has achieved significant breakthroughs within Israeli society on one side and on Arab and international levels on the other. He pointed out that 'Fatah's' vision, which is based on achieving the Palestinian dream with fewer casualties and diligent political work, has proven its correctness, at least over the last two and a half years. He added: In order to preserve historical achievements and build upon them, and to extract our people from the cycle of more bloodshed and loss of land, we in 'Fatah' must rearrange our ranks, enhance internal unity, and conduct reconciliations at the leadership and cadre levels, provided that we reject anyone who conspired against the movement and divided its ranks, siding with their personal interests at the expense of the fixed historical national rights of our Palestinian people. Al-Natsheh explained that achieving this requires holding the Eighth General Conference to revitalize the movement and introduce new leadership that is accepted in the Palestinian street and enjoys its respect, with this being a basic criterion for candidates for the Central Committee and the Revolutionary Council of the movement, in addition to the true struggle history of those who wish to run for this position, which we consider a 'struggle mission' and not just a prestige to gain personal benefits. He also warned against the repercussions of external interventions in the conference, which could exclude important and influential cadres in the movement capable of bringing about the needed change and making significant progress forward, preparing for the upcoming phase represented by the general elections, which have become a Palestinian and external demand as well. He said: This way, we can inject a new, vigorous spirit into the movement that has led the Palestinian struggle since the first shot until today. He added that these recommendations would present us to the international community in a civilized manner that deserves respect, end the state of division and fragmentation within the movement, and make it a solid alloy that is hard to break, restoring cohesion to the movement as a great historical bloc that has sacrificed hundreds of thousands of martyrs, wounded, and prisoners on the path of national struggle for freedom and independence, culminating a journey steeped in blood that continues until the occupation is lifted and our great people enjoys freedom and independence.