How Palestinian factions are capitalizing on the unrest
Palestinian factions are taking advantage of the popular uprising to restore some of their dwindling popularity on the Palestinian street by diplomatically refusing to take a leadership role.
The Palestinian factions are still refusing to officially participate in the uprising taking place in the occupied territories since the beginning of October. Perhaps they prefer to preserve its spontaneous dimension and popular character without directing it through a field command or organized political leadership, despite the increasing calls from some Palestinian parties for such efforts.
According to an opinion poll that was published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah on Oct. 6, Fatah’s popularity has decreased in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to 35% from 39% three months ago. Hamas’ popularity increased in the West Bank to 39% from 35% and slightly decreased in Gaza, dropping to 34% from 39% three months ago.
Hamas’ media official Raafat Morra told Al-Monitor, “Hamas has accomplished a number of political achievements from the intifada and is working to ignite it, because it is proof that the Palestinian Authority has failed. We have seen that some Fatah-affiliated groups in the West Bank have been recently calling on Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, to take revenge against the Israeli occupation. The intifada has united the people, the land and the cause.”
However, Sufian Abu Zaida, a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, was reluctant to draw any conclusions. “There is no agreed-upon description of the current events among Palestinian factions. These events are characterized by Palestinian organizations standing behind the confrontations and not in the forefront, such as in the first intifada in 1987 and the second intifada in 2000,” he told Al-Monitor.
