Abbas' sell out of Palestinian national movement does not work

Since the Gaza pullout of Israeli settlement and troups the Abbas administration has been claiming that this would be the beginning of the construction of a sovereign Palestinian state. Active resistance of the Palestinian people in the Intifada would not be necessary anymore. The latest events in Palestine have proved these claims to be wrong. A strong wave of Israeli repression against all forces of the Palestinian popular resistance movement has caused hundreds of arrests including of high ranking representatives of Palestinian organisations as well as clashes between resistance figthers and Israeli forces as well as between the resistance movement and the Palestinian police.

The events demonstrate that there will be no possible solution to the conflict as long as its causes will not be removed - military occupation of Palestinian land by the Israeli army and fierce oppression of the Palestinian people. The current wave of repression is primarily directed against the Islamic resistance forces of Hamas and Jihad as well as against the leftist forces of the PFLP. However, also the Al Aqsa Brigades, traditionally linked to the Fatah-Movement and lately committed to support the Abbas government and its strategy of sell-out of the Palestinian national aspirations, has recently confirmed to be willing to take up the armed struggle in case Israeli repression will continue. The political intention of Israel is above all to impede a Hamas victory in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections by simply destroying Hamas and arresting its leaders.

The solidarity trip to Palestine led by the Anti-imperialist Camp in August 2005 met with high ranking representatives of the Palestinian resistance movement. In the light of the current events, their speeches given on the meaning of the Gaza pullout, the Abbas government and the elections are of particular interest.

The delegation met with Ahmed Saadat, Secretary General of the PFLP. Saadat has been detained in Jericho prison since 2002 although the Supreme Court of Palestine has ordered his release. He is charged of bearing responsibility for the killing of former Israeli tourism minister Zeevi, well known for his right wing ideas of complete eviction of the Palestinian population from the Palestinian territories. Saadat was imprisoned by the Palestinian police on Israeli order.

The delegation further met with Sheich Hassan Abu Yussef, spokesperson of Hamas in the Westbank. Sheich Abu Yussef was arrested during the latest wave of Israeli repression.
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Another meeting was held with Zacharia Zbeidi, leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades in the Westbank during a visit of the delegation to Jenin refugee camp. Zbeidi lately announced that the Al Aqsa Brigades might take up fighting again in defense against Israeli repression.
See the interview

Antiimperialist Camp
October 19, 2005