Fatah official: Abbas, like Arafat, used to support “armed struggle,” but now supports “popular resistance… [but] we have not given up the option of the rifle… the means need to serve the political goal”
Official PA TV, special broadcast of the central rally in Gaza to mark the 13th anniversary of the death of former PLO and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, hosting Fatah Movement Spokesman and Fatah Revolutionary Council member Osama Al-Qawasmi
Official PA TV host: “I’m returning with you, [Fatah Movement Spokesman] Dr. Osama Al-Qawasmi, to the history of Yasser Arafat. When the first bullet was fired, Yasser Arafat was initiating [Fatah’s] revolution. At the time of the self-sacrificing operations and armed struggle, Yasser Arafat and the Fatah Movement were at the head of the self-sacrificing operations that dealt with military activity on the ground. And when the time for policy came, Yasser Arafat excelled in this path as well, and it may be that he achieved more from it than was achieved in the military activity. [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas is continuing the diplomatic political activity, embarrassing Israel in the halls of the UN, and achieving the [fitting] status for Palestine. Please, Dr. Osama.”
Fatah Movement Spokesman and Fatah Revolutionary Council member Osama Al-Qawasmi: “Certainly, when Fatah was established at the beginning of January 1965 relying on armed struggle (i.e., in “the Launch” of Fatah, see note below), it did [not] think that armed struggle was the goal, but rather that the rifle was a means, and that this is a legitimate right for all of the peoples who are bowing under occupation. There was a disagreement in the [Fatah] Central Committee, and in early January, or several months before then, President Mahmoud Abbas supported armed struggle because they wanted to let the world hear the complaint of the Palestinian people through the rifle, bomb, and battles… The wars have changed. Today we rely on the popular resistance and building the institutions, [but] we have not given up the option of the rifle at all, but because we have a goal – and the means need to serve the political goal – we rely on the popular resistance, national unity, strengthening of the Palestinian people’s resolve, and building of the institutions, because we understand that the civilian remaining on his land after the world’s recognition of the Palestinian state has become a strategy. Building the institutions that strengthen this strategy through the Palestinian people’s resolve – this path is not at all different from the path of Yasser Arafat.”
Intilaqa - "the Launch" refers to the beginning of Fatah on Jan. 1, 1965, when it carried out its first terror attack against Israel, attempting to blow up Israel's National Water Carrier
Official PA TV host: “I’m returning with you, [Fatah Movement Spokesman] Dr. Osama Al-Qawasmi, to the history of Yasser Arafat. When the first bullet was fired, Yasser Arafat was initiating [Fatah’s] revolution. At the time of the self-sacrificing operations and armed struggle, Yasser Arafat and the Fatah Movement were at the head of the self-sacrificing operations that dealt with military activity on the ground. And when the time for policy came, Yasser Arafat excelled in this path as well, and it may be that he achieved more from it than was achieved in the military activity. [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas is continuing the diplomatic political activity, embarrassing Israel in the halls of the UN, and achieving the [fitting] status for Palestine. Please, Dr. Osama.”
Fatah Movement Spokesman and Fatah Revolutionary Council member Osama Al-Qawasmi: “Certainly, when Fatah was established at the beginning of January 1965 relying on armed struggle (i.e., in “the Launch” of Fatah, see note below), it did [not] think that armed struggle was the goal, but rather that the rifle was a means, and that this is a legitimate right for all of the peoples who are bowing under occupation. There was a disagreement in the [Fatah] Central Committee, and in early January, or several months before then, President Mahmoud Abbas supported armed struggle because they wanted to let the world hear the complaint of the Palestinian people through the rifle, bomb, and battles… The wars have changed. Today we rely on the popular resistance and building the institutions, [but] we have not given up the option of the rifle at all, but because we have a goal – and the means need to serve the political goal – we rely on the popular resistance, national unity, strengthening of the Palestinian people’s resolve, and building of the institutions, because we understand that the civilian remaining on his land after the world’s recognition of the Palestinian state has become a strategy. Building the institutions that strengthen this strategy through the Palestinian people’s resolve – this path is not at all different from the path of Yasser Arafat.”
Intilaqa - "the Launch" refers to the beginning of Fatah on Jan. 1, 1965, when it carried out its first terror attack against Israel, attempting to blow up Israel's National Water Carrier