In rare critique, senior PA official says Abbas’s exclusion of political rivals is mistaken

A rare public critique has emerged from within Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party, with a senior official labeling the exclusion of political rivals from a recent conference a significant error. Jibril Rajoub, a member of Fatah's powerful Central Committee, told The Times of Israel that the party made a mistake by not resolving the issue of sidelined members before holding its conference last month.

Abbas had previously announced amnesty for dismissed Fatah members, a move seen as directed at supporters of Mohammed Dahlan, the PA's exiled former Gaza security chief. However, the party subsequently imposed a requirement that each reinstated member submit a letter acknowledging any past wrongdoings. Members of the Dahlan-aligned Reformist Democratic Faction (RDF) largely refused this demand, leading to their exclusion from the Fatah conference where elections for key party bodies were held.

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I think we made a mistake that we did not settle this issue before the conference.

Rajoub expressed his intention to ensure the issue is resolved respectfully, even if the RDF faction cannot rejoin in time for future party activities. He noted that Fatah had adopted a resolution permitting the return of dismissed members, emphasizing that reinstatements should occur without humiliation. However, he clarified that individuals with ongoing court cases, such as Dahlan himself who faces corruption charges in absentia, would need to settle those legal matters before returning to the party.

Negotiations with the pro-Dahlan faction and quiet urging from Egypt for Abbas to compromise had preceded the conference. Despite these efforts, Abbas remained firm, with one aide suggesting the RDF sought to take over Fatah by entering as a bloc rather than as individuals. Rajoub's comments signal a potential internal push for reconciliation within the dominant Palestinian political movement.

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The party had adopted a resolution allowing the return of dismissed members, including ones in RDF, and Rajoub stressed that the reinstatements were to be done “respectfully and with no humiliation.”