Last update - 00:00 06/03/2007
Rift splits Fatah as Barghouti and Dahlan vie for leadership
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent
Infighting among leading members of Fatah, on all levels, is preventing the embattled organization from closing ranks in its struggle against Hamas.
A major struggle seems to be unfolding over control of Fatah's grass roots between jailed Marwan Barghouti and Gaza-based strongman Mohammed Dahlan.
Barghouti supporters say Dahlan is trying to undermine the position of the jailed leader within the organization. They say Dahlan is wary of Barghouti's strength in any future leadership bid and is therefore trying to distance him from decision making.
The latest crisis broke out following the announcement of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of the creation of a Grass Roots Committee, which will serve in the overall leadership of Fatah in the West Bank. Its appointed secretary is Hussein al-Sheik, a senior Tanzim figure and one of Barghouti's greatest rivals since the outbreak of the intifada. He is considered to be a close associate of Dahlan.
Other senior figures appointed to the new body, including Hatem Abdel Kader, from Jerusalem, and Ja'afer Hudeid, from Ramallah, are also considered Dahlan "appointments."
At the same time, there is a blatant absence of Barghouti supporters from the new committee. Behind closed doors, Barghouti supporters say they do not intend to cooperate with the committee.
"We have no doubt that Dahlan is behind the makeup of the [committee's] leadership," one of them told Haaretz. "Abu Mazen [Abbas] may have consulted Dahlan but he did not ask Barghouti who should be appointed to it."
A meeting of the opponents to the Grass Roots Committee is scheduled to take place in Ramallah on Tuesday.
In response, Al-Sheik told Haaretz: "There is no dispute over the makeup of the committee." He added: "Marwan Barghouti expressed his support for its establishment and some of his associates are part of the committee, such as Nida Barghouti and Hatem Abed Kader. Barghouti is an important Fatah leader, whom we respect. There is no leader closer to Barghouti than myself," Al-Sheik said.
Senior Fatah members noted that the tension between Barghouti and Dahlan supporters brewed during the Saudi-sponsored Mecca Summit between Fatah and Hamas. Even though Barghouti was instrumental in initiating the compromise between the two parties, none of his associates was included in the Fatah delegation to Saudi Arabia. His supporters say Dahlan made sure they were not invited.
Another crisis cooking up in Fatah is that between former prime minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) and Abbas, who have not spoken to each other since the PA chairman traveled to Mecca without Qureia.