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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Palestinians to keep resistance an option: Abbas
2009-08-05
[Al Arabiya Latest] President Mahmoud Abbas opened his Fatah movement's first conference in 20 years on Tuesday, saying Palestinians sought peace with Israel but "resistance" would stay an option. It is the group's first congress to be held on Palestinian soil. The last Fatah congress was held in Tunisia in 1989.

More than 2,000 delegates will seek in three days of talks to adopt a program that distinguishes Fatah from Islamist Hamas which has rejected Western demands to renounce violence and recognize Israel.

"Although peace is our choice, we reserve the right to resistance, legitimate under international law," the Western-backed Abbas said in a policy speech, using a term that encompasses armed confrontation as well as non-violent protests.

" No one can decide alone. No one can lead the homeland to catastrophe. No one can take the decision and take us to where we do not want to be "
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Officials said a draft of Fatah's new program called for new forms of resistance such as civil disobedience against Jewish settlement expansion and a West Bank barrier Israel says is for security but which Palestinians see as a land grab.

Crucially, the draft leaves open the option of "armed struggle" if peace talks with Israel fail and does not rule out a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip if peace negotiations remain at a stalemate.
Posted by:Fred

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