Fatah Supports Hamas’ Goals — It Just Wants to Rule Palestinians Instead
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by Ephraim D. Tepler
People hold Fatah flags during a protest in support of the people of Gaza, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Hebron, in the West Bank, Oct. 27, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma
Fatah’s conflict with Hamas is not an ideological or moral dispute, but a political struggle over leadership and control.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s ruling party, Fatah, has provided another striking confirmation of this, stating explicitly that he was not asking Hamas to change its “approach, doctrine, or thinking.” He did not condemn the October 7 atrocities nor Hamas’ terrorism and goal of destroying Israel. He even criticized Iran not for promising to erase Israel, but for failing to do so and failing to provide Hamas with sufficient weapons.
Instead, he insisted that Hamas join the PLO, the Fatah-dominated umbrella organization that also controls the PA.
Fatah Spokesman in the Gaza Strip Mundhir Al-Hayek: “Logic dictates that Hamas needs to change, and we’re not saying it should change its approach, doctrine, or thinking … We tell Hamas with love and an open heart: The only way and the only option is the PLO… Let’s speak honestly – what has Iran done for us? Iran, which promised the Palestinian people to erase Israel out of existence yet didn’t erase it and which promised to provide the Palestinian people with weapons, and we see how the confrontation in Gaza went, with locally produced weapons… Therefore, we say to the Hamas movement that the only option is to get the Palestinian house in order. Reliance on the axis, on Iran, or on any other country has proven to be a failure. What is better now is to unite.”
Posted text: “Fatah Spokesman Mundhir Al-Hayek: ‘We tell Hamas that the only way is the PLO.'”
[Mundhir Al-Hayek, Facebook page, Al-Hadath TV, July 20, 2026]
Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly documented that Fatah accepts Hamas as part of the Palestinian national movement and seeks unity with it under PLO leadership.
Fatah’s message is therefore clear — Hamas’ goal of destroying Israel is acceptable, but it opposes Hamas being in charge.
Ephraim D. Tepler is a researcher at Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), where a version of this article first appeared.
