The Fatah-run Palestinian Authority embassy in Yemen announced over the weekend that it was closing its mission in protest of the fact that Hamas also has a form of representation in Yemen. Fatah appears to be losing in Jordan, as well, and is losing still more ground in Gaza.
"We are closing the embassy [in the capital city of Sanaa] in protest at the dual Palestinian representation in Yemen," embassy spokesman Fayez Jawad told the Frence news agency AFP. The Fatah spokesman did not further elaborate, though he also complained that Yemen had arrested ten Palestinians in the southern port city of Aden, and that the PA consulate premises there were in danger of being confiscated.
Fatah and Hamas are the two largest organizations in the Palestinian Authority, and have battled each other more than once in the past three years. Hamas won control of Gaza in 2007, while Fatah still retains Oslo-Accord control of parts of Judea and Samaria - areas that were under Jordanian control between 1948 and 1967, and under Israeli control from 1967.
Jordan, Too
The protest coincided with Fatah concern over an apparent tightening of ties between Jordan and Hamas.
The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs quotes "unconfirmed reports" as saying that over the past month, Khaled Meshaal of Hamas has met with Jordanian intelligence officials in Jordan. Meshaal recently announced that Hamas would agree to recognize Israel in its pre-1967 borders - unlike other Hamas leaders. Other meetings between the two entities have also been held at Jordanian initiation, and Fatah leaders in Ramallah are "concerned."
Hamas, currently at odds with Egypt, is happy to foster relations with Jordan, while Jordan is anxious to know that Judea and Samaria can serve as the "Palestinian" homeland. Jordan hopes this will end talk of it itself being the Palestinian homeland.
Fatah, on the other hand, is not yet able to guarantee positive results for Jordan, as its talks with Israel are limping along unsuccessfully. US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice was set to land in Israel and the PA for yet another round of talks on Sunday. It is not believed that an agreement will be reached before US President George W. Bush leaves office five months from now.
Gaza, Too
In Gaza, too, Fatah feels it is losing ground. Fatah teachers there plan to strike during the first week of the coming school year, in protest of the way Hamas is relocating teachers in various Gaza schools in order to lessen Fatah influence and increase Hamas influence there.