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New Palestinian Party Has Ties to Israel, Seeks PLO Reform
(Al-Monitor) Adnan Abu Amer - A Palestinian political body calling itself the Reform and Development Party was established on May 1 in Hebron, stating it will represent the Palestinian "silent majority." In its founding statement, it said it wants to improve communication with the rest of the world, end corruption and nepotism, and reform the PA and the PLO. It believes improving Palestinians' economic conditions is a top national priority. Nearly 5,000 activists from throughout the West Bank attended the founding conference. Hours after the launch, Fatah issued a statement warning Palestinians against dealing with the party and pledging to hold its organizers and participants accountable for stepping out of the national ranks and aligning with Israel. One of the party's founders, Ashraf Jabari, told Independent Arabia on May 4 that the party wants to live in peace with its Jewish neighbors. Belal Shobaki, a political science professor at Hebron University, told Al-Monitor, "Jabari is an isolated figure. We only hear about him in the Israeli media." The writer heads the Political Science and Media Department of Umma University Open Education in Gaza.