PA brags Fatah gave active support to Islamic Jihad in recent Gaza War

• “Fatah [is] the spearhead in this war room”

• Claiming Fatah's terror dominates more than other terror organizations, official PA TV stated that “for a long time, Fatah is the pioneer in armed struggle activity on the Palestinian lands”
   
• “Mainly” Islamic Jihad’s military wing and Fatah’s military wing are “partners in blood” in “the battle” against Israel – official PA TV

Israel launched its recent counter-terror operation in the Gaza Strip - Operation Shield and Arrow – mainly to eliminate leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror organization, but other terror organizations joined PIJ in the battle. Palestinian Media Watch documented the participation of other terrorists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), both of whom published footage of their members participating in the hostilities against Israel.

By contrast, Abbas’ Fatah Movement did not participate in the Gaza terrorists’ fight against Israel. However, Fatah needs to profile itself as leading the Palestinians and “a pioneer in armed struggle.” The terror organization Hamas didn’t join the recent hostilities either, but polls show its popularity is greater than Fatah even in the West Bank. Therefore, Fatah wants to be seen as if it is “on the barricades” along with the Gazan terrorists. This became evident when the official PA TV reporter in Gaza glorified Fatah and its military wing the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades as being “considered the spearhead in the war room” and claimed that Fatah’s military wing and Islamic Jihad’s military wing are those who “acted together” as “partners in blood” against the Israeli “aggression”:

Official PA TV newsreader: “There were statements by the Fatah Movement and unity on the ground to confront this aggression on the Palestinian lands. For a long time, Fatah is the pioneer in armed struggle activity on the Palestinian lands.”
 

Official PA TV reporter in Gaza: “That’s true. We see that in the Gaza Strip, even in terms of the military wings and the joint war room that includes all the factions. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (i.e., Fatah’s military wing) and Fatah are actually considered the spearhead in this war room… In this battle, when we speak about the factions that participated in it and about what’s called on social media ‘partners in blood,’ the intent is mainly the Al-Quds Brigades fighters (i.e., Islamic Jihad’s military wing) and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades fighters (sic.), who acted together in the battle as a response to the assassinations of the Al-Quds Brigades members.”
 

[Official PA TV News, May 12, 2023]

Palestinian Media Watch has shown that Abbas/the PA also ignites violence and terror when polls show he and Fatah are unpopular.

2023 Operation Shield and Arrow – Israeli counter-terror operation against the Islamic Jihad terror organization in the Gaza Strip, in response to Islamic Jihad rocket attacks targeting Israel and particularly on May 2, 2023, when over 100 rockets were fired at Israel. Israel’s operation began on May 9, 2023, when Israel killed senior Islamic Jihad officials Khalil Al-Bahtini, Tareq Izz Al-Din, and Jihad Al-Ghannam together with 10 others, primarily their relatives, in targeted airstrikes. The terrorists were involved in the previous rocket attacks and were actively planning terror attacks in the West Bank. During Israel's operation, Islamic Jihad launched over 1,000 rockets, murdering 80-year-old female Israeli civilian Inga Avramyan and a 34-year-old Palestinian laborer from the Gaza Strip working in Israel. Approximately 20% of the rockets fell short within the Gaza Strip, killing at least 4 Palestinians. Israel attacked Islamic Jihad terror infrastructure and later in the operation also killed Islamic Jihad officials Ayed Al-Husseini, who was Al-Bahtini's replacement as commander of operations; Ali Ghali, commander of Islamic Jihad's rocket force; and Ghali's deputy Ahmed Abu Daqqa. An Egyptian mediated ceasefire was announced on May 13, 2023.