Palestinian leaders conclude that peace process and two-state solution has failed

A senior member of Fatah’s central committee has said that the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank has concluded that the peace process founded on the two-state solution has failed. Muhammad Al-Aloul, who is also the organisation’s Commissioner General of Recruitment and Strategy, stressed that this failure did not occur as a result of the Palestinian position, but is the outcome of a racist Israeli position. The Israelis, he believes, have intended to reach such a situation.

During a visit to the Governorate of Bethlehem and a meeting with the cadres and fringe members of the Fatah movement, Mr. Al-Aloul confirmed that the Palestinian side had exerted every effort within its control to avoid failure. It was Israeli policies, he said, which had prevented a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict. He added that the US was unable to engineer a breakthrough or change in the Israeli position so there was no option for the Palestinian leadership but to end negotiations.

Mr. Al-Aloul called for a combined cooperative effort from all groups within Fatah and the Palestinian national authority to increase harmony. A committee has been formed, he added, to face the latest reality and prepare for what he called “a very difficult period”. Fatah, he believes, faces difficult choices because of the obstructions which make the two-state solution unlikely to become reality. “We have to ask ourselves if we should dissolve the Palestinian Authority, ask for the leader’s resignation and request international guardianship,” he said.

Because of this, the Fatah movement is developing a re-evaluation programme to look at its membership, structure and regulatory bodies, perhaps with a view to returning to the provision of educational programmes and integration.

The Palestinian leadership and Fatah has been making “every effort possible”, said Mr. Al-Aloul, to bring about reconciliation with Hamas and restore national unity. A delegation will be going to Damascus soon for talks in this regard with the Hamas political leadership. If successful, such talks could result in legislative, presidential and regional elections. That, said Mr. Al-Aloul, means that Fatah and its members must be prepared for this possibility.

However, Commissioner General Al-Aloul is pessimistic about achieving reconciliation, particularly following the positions taken by Hamas and statements by some of its leaders, as well as the leaders of the Islamic Brotherhood and Iran, which are “not conducive to Palestinian national unity”. Even so, he added, “Fatah is determined to continue seeking reconciliation with our brothers in Hamas”.

During his visit, Mr. Al-Aloul reassured local members of Fatah that the Palestinian leadership will not abandon its position on Israeli settlements, and will remain determined in the face of Israeli policies.