The ruling Fatah Party of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas marked its 57th anniversary with two days of mass rallies on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, glorifying the armed struggle against Israel.
According to a Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) report, the rallies featured armed and masked activists from Fatah’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, even though the Palestinian Authority outlawed the group nearly 15 years ago.
During a rally in Ramallah on Dec. 30, Fatah deputy chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul stressed that the Palestinian people would not stop its struggle and its “resistance to the occupation” until it achieves freedom and independence.
According to MEMRI, Al-Aloul also extended greetings to prisoners Marwan Barghouti, 62, and Karim Younes, 74—two Fatah Central Committee members who are serving lengthy sentences in Israeli prison for involvement in the murders of Israeli citizens.