Palestinian leaders hold rare party meeting as polls show rising discontent

Palestinian leaders hold rare party meeting as polls show rising discontent2 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleYolande KnellMiddle East correspondent, RamallahBBCIt is the first meeting of its kind in nearly 10 yearsTop leaders of the main Palestinian political faction, Fatah, are electing its highest decision-making body, at its first major conference in a decade.The 90-year-old Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas – who rules by decree – was re-elected as head of Fatah on Wednesday.Leading figures are promising unity and a political refresh. But ordinary Palestinians complain that this meeting, coming at a critical time for their nationalist cause, is showcasing the opposite.Palestinian opinion polls indicate profound dissatisfaction with Abbas, with most wanting him to resign.There is also disquiet that his eldest son – a businessman – is on the ballot for a senior party position for the first time.Addressing the conference on its opening day on Thursday, Abbas promised the first presidential and parliamentary elections in 20 years – without giving a timeline."We renew our full commitment to continuing work on implementing all the reform measures we pledged," he said. He declared that holding the gathering "on our homeland's soil confirms our determination to continue on the democratic path".The president and the Palestinian Authority (PA) are under increasing pressure from the US, European Union and Arab countries to carry out reforms and hold elections. They face claims of corruption and political stagnation – as well as declining legitimacy.The Palestinian reality has drastically changed since the last general conference at the end of 2016.In 2023, the deadly Hamas-led assault on Israel triggered the brutal Gaza war. Palestinians have been "slaughtered, displaced and devastated", Abbas said in his opening address to the conference, leaving an "unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe".At the same time, a key...