Jibril Rajoub, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), ruled out the possibility of holding the Palestinian legislative elections on their scheduled date, reiterating his call for presidential elections to be held first.
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In a meeting with a group of journalists and political columnists, attended Rajoub said that the legislative elections would not take place and that the presidential elections should precede them because they are “easier to organize, less costly, and capable of resolving a large part of the existing problems.”
Regarding the reasons for his pessimism, he said that reality indicates this, asking, “Have any lists been registered? Nothing so far.” Therefore, he concluded, “they will not be held on their scheduled date.”
He criticized the election process, saying, “The failure to prepare for setting an agreed-upon date that guarantees the Palestinian national space, as well as the regional and international spaces, is a third factor.”
He added, “Logically, a meeting should have been held with the Palestinian parties and factions, followed by a national dialogue and an agreement on the mechanisms for holding the elections, including the elections for the Palestinian National Council.”
Rajoub declined to comment on question regarding his stance on the appointments to the Palestinian National Council in Arab countries, where the term "electoral blocs" has emerged without Palestinians understanding the mechanism by which these appointments are made.
However, he indicated that elections for the National Council are not the right approach to addressing the Palestinian reality.
Rajoub believes that "the Palestinian political system is suffering from strategic paralysis, which necessitates a comprehensive political review by the Palestinians."
Those expelled from Fatah
Regarding internal Fatah affairs, Rajoub stated that the movement enjoys a high degree of democratic practice, with membership strongly protected by internal regulations.
He indicated that no member can be expelled from the movement without the approval of two-thirds of the Central Committee members. He also affirmed that the issue of those expelled from the movement remains unresolved, particularly those against whom legal cases have been filed, specifically the leader Mohammed Dahlan.
Rajoub, who also heads the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, the Palestinian Football Association, and the Palestinian Olympic Committee, vehemently denied the existence of any division within the movement. He attributed his absence from Central Committee meetings to a "difference of opinion," which he described as "a natural occurrence that reflects the strength of the Fatah movement."
There is no solution for those dismissed from Fatah who have been sentenced.
He added that "Fatah is united, and while there may be protests or objections, the movement is capable of easily reorganizing its ranks."
The first session of Fatah's Revolutionary Council is scheduled to begin on Thursday, with the participation of the Central Committee and chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas, at the Muqata'a compound in Ramallah. The session will continue through Friday.
In response to a question from regarding the meeting's agenda, he said, "This first meeting will focus on developing a Palestinian national strategy with visions and mechanisms consistent with the movement's position, role, and the interests of the Palestinian people. This strategy aims to ensure the preservation of achievements, keeping the Palestinian state on the world's agenda, maintaining the PLO, protecting our institutions, and ensuring it remains the ultimate authority on national decisions."
He continued, "We must find mechanisms to provide all the necessary tools for our people in the homeland to persevere and survive, and work to extricate our cause from all regional and international conflicts."
He expressed his belief that all these are "very difficult issues at this stage."
Regarding political reforms, he stressed that reforms must stem from the Palestinian national strategic vision and be implemented through laws determined by the Palestinians themselves, free from external dictates, which are often Israeli and American.
He added, "The legitimacy of the system can only be renewed through the ballot box."
He praised Egypt's role, asserting that, strategically, Egypt would not allow the Palestinian leadership to be divided and is uniquely positioned to call for Palestinian unity.
Rajoub identified four fundamental pillars upon which national unity must be based: a political solution encompassing the establishment of a Palestinian state and the rights of Palestinian refugees; the nature of the relationship and confrontation with the occupation within the framework of popular resistance; a unified vision for the form of the Palestinian state, including political pluralism, democracy, and freedom of expression; and a unified vision for building the Palestinian political system through elections.
He called for a comprehensive review and a move towards achieving national unity, emphasizing that unity is the "safety valve" for any Palestinian national project and that any measures taken outside this unifying framework are not the right approach to addressing the current Palestinian reality.
He stated that Palestinians today have no option but unity, revealing that Palestinian efforts are currently underway to achieve it.
He emphasized that this unity must be consistent with the Palestinian achievements already realized, namely the establishment of a Palestinian state, which has gained international consensus. He stressed the necessity of preserving the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the unifying framework for Palestinians.
He concluded by stating that, given the difficult Palestinian reality, the greatest ally of the just Palestinian cause is the Israeli right-wing coalition, which includes Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, and other right-wing leaders in Israel.
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