Fatah struggles to find support to form new government

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (C) attends the Advisory Board meeting of the Palestine National Liberation Movement (FATAH) in Ramallah, West Bank on 9 December, 2018 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]

Fatah leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to ban a number of Palestinian factions from taking part in the upcoming elections has meant that his party is in talks to form a new government with small groups which have poor representation inside the Palestinian Liberation Organsiation (PLO).

According to reports, the movement has only been able to convince two factions to participate in its new government; the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF) and the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front.

Deputy Secretary-General of the PLF, which did not win any seat in the legislative elections held in 2006, Mahmoud Ismail, said the movement would participate in the next government in recognition of Abbas and the Fatah movement’s positions.

READ: Holding elections goes against reconciliation agreement

The leader of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, Ahmad Majdalani, is an ally of Abbas.

In 2014, Abbas appointed Majdalani to head a PLO delegation travelling to Syria to provide aid to Palestinian refugees in the besieged Yarmouk refugee camp.

During the visit, Majdalani made a statement supporting the Syrian army attack to regain control of the camp.

PLO delegation – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

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