Editing Fatah (section)

====2009: Sixth General Assembly====
The Sixth General Assembly of the Fatah Movement began on 4 August 2009 in [[Bethlehem]], nearly 16 years after the [[Oslo I Accord]] and 20 years since the last Fatah convention, after being repeatedly postponed over conflicts ranging from representation to venue.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120708043824/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249275691810&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull editiorial.jpost.com Fatah's goals]. Last accessed 11 August 2009.</ref> More than 2,000 delegates attended the meeting,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/08/20098435612729372.html|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |title=Delegates gather for Fatah congress |access-date=11 August 2009}}</ref> while another 400 from the [[Gaza Strip]] were unable to attend the conference after Hamas barred them from traveling to the [[West Bank]].<ref name="Jerusalem Post"/>

The internal dissension was immediately obvious.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} [[Saudi Arabia|Saudi]] [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah]] told the delegates that divisions among the Palestinians were more damaging to their cause of an independent state than the Israeli "enemy".<ref name="Jerusalem Post">{{cite news|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418529052&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130706010736/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418529052&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull |url-status=dead|archive-date=6 July 2013|title=Disputes break out at Fatah conference in Bethlehem|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|access-date=5 August 2009}}</ref>

Delegates resolved not to resume [[Israeli–Palestinian peace process|Israeli-Palestinian peace talks]] until 14 preconditions were met. Among these preconditions were the release of all Israel-held Palestinian prisoners, a freeze on all [[Israeli settlement]] construction, and an end to the [[Blockade of the Gaza Strip|Gaza blockade]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/EditionFrancaise/Home.aspxservlet/Satellite?cid=1249418545003&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708225643/http://www.jpost.com/EditionFrancaise/Home.aspxservlet/Satellite?cid=1249418545003&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull|url-status=dead|title=Israel News |date=8 July 2012|archive-date=8 July 2012}}</ref>

By affirming its option for "armed resistance" against Israel, Fatah appealed to Palestinians who wanted a more hardline response to Israel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25897575-15084,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912144608/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25897575-15084,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 September 2012|work=The Australian|first1=John|last1=Lyons|title=Israel to blame for Arafat death: Fatah|date=8 August 2009}}</ref>

Israeli deputy foreign minister [[Danny Ayalon]] said the conference was a "serious blow to peace" and "was another lost opportunity for the Palestinian leadership to adopt moderate views."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Arafat-assassination-accusation-irks-Israel|work=The Jerusalem Post|title=Arafat assassination accusation irks Israel|date=6 August 2009}}</ref>