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Source: http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11636459
The Palestinians: Ever Divided
[Economist-UK ] The charter of Fatah, the more secular of the two main Palestinian political parties, says that unless there are "exceptional circumstances," a general party congress must be held every five years. The last one was in 1989. Fatah's election defeat in 2006 by its Islamist rival, Hamas, owed a lot to splits in Fatah between a cabal of leaders clinging to power and various factions of a "young guard" that is already far from young. Mahmoud Abbas' term as president and Fatah head was due to end next January, but he has extended it by means of a decree tying the presidential poll to a parliamentary one, due a year later. Hamas does not recognize the decree. Fatah is also starting to divide over reconciliation with Hamas. Among the older generation of Fatah, hatred of Hamas runs deep.