Fatah: Palestinians did not have a “national identity” until after 1965
An article in the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida written in 2005 admits that today’s Palestinian Arab population still did not have a “national identity” as late as 1965:
"When the Fatah movement started its path on Jan.1, 1965 (date of first Fatah terror attack, which targeted Israel's water carrier), it advocated the liberation of all the national land (i.e., destruction of Israel*) and our nation was without a national identity... But after the cumulative [effect] of the [armed] struggle this identity returned and there was Arab and international recognition (in 1974**) ... this recognition met strong opposition from the Zionist Entity and the American government. But, with more sacrifice and cumulative effects [of armed struggle] Washington accepted this fact and Israel also recognized this reality.”
* Fatah Charter: Article 19: "Armed struggle is a strategy… this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished and Palestine is completely liberated."
** The Rabat Summit conference of twenty Arab leaders in 1974 officially recognized the PLO as “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”
"When the Fatah movement started its path on Jan.1, 1965 (date of first Fatah terror attack, which targeted Israel's water carrier), it advocated the liberation of all the national land (i.e., destruction of Israel*) and our nation was without a national identity... But after the cumulative [effect] of the [armed] struggle this identity returned and there was Arab and international recognition (in 1974**) ... this recognition met strong opposition from the Zionist Entity and the American government. But, with more sacrifice and cumulative effects [of armed struggle] Washington accepted this fact and Israel also recognized this reality.”
* Fatah Charter: Article 19: "Armed struggle is a strategy… this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished and Palestine is completely liberated."
** The Rabat Summit conference of twenty Arab leaders in 1974 officially recognized the PLO as “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”