Fatah MP: Fatah still for armed resistance and does not recognize Israel
Rafik Al-Natsheh, president of the Fatah Movement's Disciplinary Court, head of the Palestinian Legislative Council (Parliament), on the Sixth Fatah Congress, and the rumors that the Congress will recognize Israel and renounce violence:
"I ask of you to inform these fantasizers, or these agents, that no such thing will happen… The Congress will adopt the best resolutions for the Fatah movement and for the Palestinian people. The Fatah movement and the Palestinian people will not relinquish the resistance in all its forms, so long as the occupation continues… The Fatah movement will maintain, at the Congress, all options for the struggle, including resistance. And the Fatah movement will not recognize Israel, and will not ask anyone to recognize Israel, and all the nonsense uttered by all sorts of parties – that they have been asked to recognize Israel – are a complete lie… We do not demand of the factions to recognize Israel, because we in Fatah have not recognized it. But the government that represents the Palestinian people is obligated to honor the agreements, for without this we shall not be able to serve the Palestinian people."
"I ask of you to inform these fantasizers, or these agents, that no such thing will happen… The Congress will adopt the best resolutions for the Fatah movement and for the Palestinian people. The Fatah movement and the Palestinian people will not relinquish the resistance in all its forms, so long as the occupation continues… The Fatah movement will maintain, at the Congress, all options for the struggle, including resistance. And the Fatah movement will not recognize Israel, and will not ask anyone to recognize Israel, and all the nonsense uttered by all sorts of parties – that they have been asked to recognize Israel – are a complete lie… We do not demand of the factions to recognize Israel, because we in Fatah have not recognized it. But the government that represents the Palestinian people is obligated to honor the agreements, for without this we shall not be able to serve the Palestinian people."