Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement (PIJ) has been witnessing internal disputes over the recent elections to form a new regulatory body and the election of a new political bureau before holding elections at the level of the highest political leadership to choose a secretary-general for the movement, replacing Ramadan Shalah, who has been absent for many months due to health problems.
The movement has taken months ago steps to carry out internal elections and disseminated internal circulars among its members and cadres in preparation for the elections in accordance with certain conditions, Palestinian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
They explained that this step was postponed due to the disputes and after new figures in the movement decided to haphazardly nominate themselves to senior positions.
Sources noted that internal elections were postponed and that a special committee had been assigned to prepare a law and a constitution relating to the movement's work, with the elections to be held in the future "smoothly and under clear conditions and restrictions to prevent any imbalances."
This comes at a time when Gaza is facing a struggle for leadership, amid calls for the holding internal elections quickly.
Sources said that these internal disputes come in light of differences with Iran over the figure that will lead the movement after the deterioration of the health of the Secretary-General of the movement.
In the past four months.Shalah undergone surgeries, including an open heart and another operation in the lungs, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Hezbollah’s stronghold in Lebanon, sources stated.
They said that his health situation is critical, and that it is difficult to remain in his position as secretary-general.
