The Palestinian factions which are not part of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), will meet in two days’ time to discuss the possibility of its restructuring, an Islamic Jihad leader said on Sunday, according to Jordan’s Petra news agency.
The meeting will include representatives of all the major factions, including terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. It will also include representatives of the leading Fatah party. “We will discuss the basic principles according to which we will restructure the PLO. We will also discuss the recent diplomatic activity of Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas, Abu Mazen,” said one of Islamic Jihad’s leaders Dr. Muhammad Al-Hindi.
The PLO is a coalition of Palestinian movements, headed by Fatah since 1969. It is the backbone of the Palestinian Authority (P.A.). Several Palestinian movements, such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), are not part of this coalition. Recently, Hamas has confirmed its participation in the July parliamentary elections, and signaled its will to join the decision-making mechanisms of the P.A.
Islamic Jihad will not participate in the upcoming elections, but has already held talks with P.A. leaders regarding joining the P.A.’s decision-making forces in other ways. In this context, Muhammad Al-Hindi met with P.A. Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas on Sunday. “It was a first and preliminary meeting, during which we discussed the issue of [our] entering into the PLO, and its restructuring in accordance with agreed upon principles,” said Al-Hindi following his meeting with ‘Abbas.
“There is the [Sharm A-Sheikh] announcement, and various issues concerning national unity, the [parliamentary] elections, the calm [agreement], etc. It is necessary to follow up all this with the factions, so that the calm will continue and lead the process forward,” said ‘Abbas.