Cablegate: Fatah Congress Elects Fresh Faces to Frc

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P 171412Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5776
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001450

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR; JOINT
STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KWBG KDEM PINR
SUBJECT: FATAH CONGRESS ELECTS FRESH FACES TO FRC

1. (SBU) On August 16, the Fatah Sixth Party Congress
released official election results for the (now) 81-member
Fatah Revolutionary Council (FRC). Voting resulted in a
substantially newer FRC, with only 11 incumbents retaining
their seats. Many newly-elected members are former First
Intifada activists, and represent a fresh generation of
mid-ranking political leadership for the party.

2. (SBU) According to Fatah contacts, the vote was generally
considered fair, and the results were welcomed by delegates
eager to portray the Congress as a generational milestone for
Fatah. Abu Mazen, announcing the results, termed the vote a
"new launch," saying the "spirit of youth" would empower
Fatah to address the challenges posed by national dialogue,
elections, and negotiations.

3. (SBU) Abu Mazen also praised the election of female
candidates by a"more civilized" FRC election process. Of the
81 victorious candidates, 11 are women (with Amneh Jibril
leading the overall vote tally), one was born an Israeli Jew
(long-time Palestinian rights activist Uri Davis), and four
are Christians.

The Top Twenty Vote-Winners
---------------------------

3. (SBU) The top twenty vote-winners amongst the successful
FRC candidates were, in descending order:

(1) AMNEH JIBRIL: Head of the General Union of Palestinian
Women in Lebanon; Palestinian National Committee (PNC) member
since 1983.

(2) SAMIR RIFAI: Syrian-based Fatah official appointed as
Fatah Damascus representative by Abu Mazen.

(3) ABEER WAHIDI: First Intifada activist imprisoned
1988-1997; married to imprisoned al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
member Ramzi Ebaid.

(4) DALAL SALAMEH: Nablus-based First Intifada activist;
former Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member;

(5) AMIN MAQBOUL: FRC incumbent; Deputy Minister of Interior
for Civil Affairs; First Intifada activist; ally of Marwan
Bargouthi.

(6) SABRI SAIDAM: Abu Mazen advisor; son of late FCC member
Mamdouh Saidam.

(7) HATEM ABDEL QADER: Former Palestinian Authority (PA)
Minister of Jerusalem Affairs; First Intifada activist.

(8) BASSEM AL AGHA: Palestinian Authority Ambassador to Yemen.

(9) JAMAL SHOBAKI: Former PLC member; Marwan Bargouthi ally;
First Intifada activist.

(10) FATHI ABU ERAIDAT: Former senior Fatah security official
in Lebanon; Abbas Zaki ally.

(11) FADWA BARGOUTHI: Wife of imprisoned FCC member Marwan
Bargouthi; First Intifada activist.

(12) BAHAA BALOSHEH: Retired Gaza security official.

(13) YOUNIS AMRE: President of al-Quds Open University.

(14) OSAMA AL FARA: Governor of Khan Younis; Mohammed Dahlan
ally.

(15) ABDULLAH ABDULLAH: Head of the PLC Political Committee;
former PLO representative to Greece and Canada.

(16) FAHMI ZAREER: Fatah spokesperson; First Intifada
activist.

(17) IBRAHIM KREIHEH: PLC Secretary; First Intifada activist.

(18) JAMAL NAZAL: Former Fatah spokesperson; Germany-based.

(19) BARAKAT AL FARA: Deputy PLO representative to Egypt and
the Arab League; Gaza-based.

(20) JAMAL SHATI: Former PLC member from Jenin; First
Intifada Activist.

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