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Fatah-Fateh
See also
Tanzim
Source:
Jewish Virtual
Library
The Movement for the
National Liberation of Palestine (Fatah) was founded in the
early 1960s by
Yasser
Arafat and friends of his in
Algeria,
Fatah was originally opposed to the founding of the
PLO, which it viewed as a
political opponent. Backed by
Syria, Fatah
began carrying out
terrorist raids against Israeli targets in 1965, launched from
Jordan,
Lebanon
and Egyptian-occupied Gaza (so as not to draw reprisals against Syria).
Dozens of raids were carried out each year, exclusively against civilian
targets.
Fatah's popularity among
Palestinians grew until it took over control of the PLO in 1968. Since then it
has been the PLO's most prominent faction, under the direct control of PLO
Chairman Yasser Arafat.
"Fatah" is a reverse acronym of
the Arabic, Harekat at-Tahrir al-Wataniyyeh al-Falastiniyyeh. The word
"Fatah" means "conquest by means of jihad [Islamic holy war]".
Note the grenade and crossed
rifles, superimposed on the map of Israel in the emblem. This emphasizes the
dedication of Fatah, along with the other "liberation" groups, to the "armed
struggle" against Israel, a euphemism for terrorism against civilians.
Source:
Federation of American
Scientists
Description
Headed
by Yasser Arafat, Fatah joined the PLO in 1968 and won the leadership role in
1969. Its commanders were expelled from Jordan following violent confrontations
with Jordanian forces during the period 1970-71, beginning with Black September
in 1970. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 led to the group's dispersal to
several Middle Eastern countries, including Tunisia, Yemen, Algeria, Iraq, and
others. Maintains several military and intelligence wings that have carried out
terrorist attacks, including Force 17, the Hawari Special Operations Group,
Tanzim and the Al Aqsa Marytrs Brigade.
Activities
In the
1960s and the 1970s, Fatah offered training to a wide range of European, Middle
Eastern, Asian, and African terrorist and insurgent groups. Carried out numerous
acts of international terrorism in Western Europe and the Middle East in the
1970s. It has since been linked to terrorist attacks against Israeli and foreign
civilians in Israel and the occupied territories.
Strength
6,000
to 8,000.
External Aid
Has had
close, longstanding political and financial ties to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and
other Persian Gulf states. These relations were disrupted by the Gulf crisis of
1990-91. Also has had links to Jordan. Received weapons, explosives, and
training from the former USSR and the former Communist regimes of East European
states. China and North Korea have reportedly provided some weapons.
Source:
Wikipedia
Fatah (Arabic: الفتح
al-fatah -- literally: "the victory") is a
Palestinian
faction founded in
1957 by
Yasser Arafat. Fatah is committed to gaining full independence for
Palestinians. In
1967 - 1968, Fatah joined the
PLO
and won the
leadership role in
1969. Fatah's commanders were expelled to
Lebanon from
Jordan following violent confrontations with Jordanian forces during the
period
1970 -
1971, beginning with
Black September in
1970.
In the
1960s and the
1970s, Fatah provideded training to a wide range of
European,
Middle Eastern,
Asian,
and
African terrorist and insurgent groups. Fatah carried out numerous acts of
international terrorism in
Western Europe and the Middle East in the 1970s. It has since been linked to
terrorist attacks against Israeli and foreign civilians in
Israel and the occupied territories.
Fatah received weapons, explosives, and
training from the former
USSR
and the former Communist regimes of
East European states.
China and
North Korea have reportedly provided some weapons.
When Israel invaded
Lebanon in
1982,
the faction was dispersed to several Middle Eastern countries:
Tunisia,
Yemen,
Algeria,
Iraq
and others. Fatah maintains several armed groups, called wings, that have
carried out operations, including
Force 17, the
Hawari Special Operations Group,
Tanzim and the
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
It has "Observer Party" status at the
Socialist International.
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