Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas’s governing Fatah Party on Thursday published footage of its “military” wing carrying out terrorist attacks on Israel Defense Forces troops in Samaria and the Gaza Strip.
One of the videos shows Fatah operatives joining with Hamas terrorists in carrying out shooting attacks on IDF soldiers in Tulkarem, western Samaria.
In the second clip, Fatah terrorists in Gaza can be seen firing rockets towards Israeli military bases and civilian population centers.
The U.S. has insisted that an “effective and revitalized” P.A. should govern Gaza—a move Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected because of Ramallah’s overt involvement in terrorism.
Responding to calls from within his own party to restore Palestinian control over the Strip, Netanyahu on Wednesday night reiterated that Ramallah “supports terrorism, teaches terrorism and funds terrorism.
“I am not willing to exchange Hamastan for Fatahstan,” Netanyahu said in a statement, addressing criticism from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu said during an interview that aired last week that he is seeking to establish a rule “by Gazans who are not committed to our destruction, possibly with the aid of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other countries that I think want to see stability and peace.”
On Jan. 27, Abbas’s spokesman told Al Arabiya that the P.A. is prepared to hand over the reins to Hamas if it won a general election. Ramallah is “prepared to hold general elections, and if Hamas wins, the president will hand over the Authority,” spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said.
The U.S. State Department has refused to rule out Hamas retaining power in Gaza or even joining a P.A.-led governing body that would also have jurisdiction in Judea and Samaria.
According to recent polls, 89% of Palestinians support establishing a government that includes or is led by Hamas. Only around 8.5% said they favor an authority controlled exclusively by Fatah.
