EXPLAINER Delayed for years, the congress is seen as a pivotal moment for Palestinian leadership consolidation amid war and succession talk. The Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) is convening its eighth general congress on Thursday, May 14. While officially a routine organisational event, the gathering is taking place at one of the most volatile junctures in Palestinian history. Here is what you need to know about the congress and why it is being described as a “quiet battle” for the movement’s future. What is the Fatah General Congress? The congress is Fatah’s highest decision-making body. According to its internal bylaws, it should meet every four years to elect its top leadership: the 18-member Central Committee and the 80-member Revolutionary Council. This 8th congress was originally due in 2021 but has been delayed for five years. The previous meeting, the 7th congress, took place in 2016.…