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Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-695884
How the Killing of Fatah Gunmen Serves Abbas
(Jerusalem Post) Khaled Abu Toameh - The killing of three Fatah gunmen involved in shooting attacks against soldiers and Israeli civilians, by the IDF in Nablus on Tuesday, serves the interests of Fatah and Mahmoud Abbas. First, it diverts attention from the controversy surrounding the meeting of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) in Ramallah earlier this week, which several Palestinian factions and figures boycotted. Second, the three militants belonged to Fatah's armed wing, the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, showing that its members are also involved in military action against Israel, not just Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Brigades were quick to publish a statement endorsing the three as its "martyrs," sending a message to the Palestinian public that Fatah remains committed to the "armed struggle" against Israel. Third, the Nablus incident allows the PA leadership to continue its campaign of incitement against Israel. The PA called for an international commission of inquiry into the "horrible crime" and urged the UN to condemn Israel. On the other hand, the presence of various armed groups on the streets of major Palestinian cities is seen by many Palestinians as a sign of the PA's failure to enforce law and order and rein in the militias, most of which are affiliated with Fatah and feuding clans.