Fatah

Hamas, of course, is also convinced that many Palestinians will vote for its candidates because they identify with the Islamist movement’s ideology.

The last ballot in 2006 ended in a surprise win by Hamas in its first parliamentary elections. That set up a power struggle between Hamas, with its power base in Gaza, and Fatah in the West Bank.

“The Fatah-Hamas dispute cannot be solved through presidential decrees.”

‘Palestinian Authority run in an authoritarian manner’

The leaders of several Palestinian factions are expected to launch a "national dialogue" in Cairo on February 8 in a bid to reach agreement on the general elections.

The high-ranking delegation invited to Moscow was headed by Samir al-Mashharawi, one of the founders of Dahlan’s Fatah Democratic Reform group.

In a video shared by Fatah on the anniversary of the death of Black September commander Ali Hassan Salameh, the terrorist attack was classified as "a quality operation."

Dozens of Fatah activists throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip have threatened to run as independents if they are excluded from the official Fatah list.

The coming war of Palestinian succession

Other Fatah operatives said they were “surprised” to hear about the idea of joining forces with Hamas.