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Palestinian Military Wing Prepares for 'Destruction of Israel'

November 17, 2014

The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, the military wing of the Palestinian political party Fatah, released a new recruitment video Friday hoping to enlist new soldiers for the "destruction of Israel."

The video, entitled "The al-Aqsa Brigades begin training their fighters and open the doors of registration to their ranks," signals preparation of what could be the beginning of a third Palestinian intifada amid rising tensions in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

"We never fear, O usurper!" the video's narrator begins, referring to the State of Israel. "We are the sons of the al-Aqsa martyrs."

The video shows soldiers training and marching with the flag of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade while singers chant "we have enlisted the greatest soldiers!" in the background.

"We await the graduation of our first fighting battalions amid the anniversary of [al-Aqsa Brigade's] launch and foundation," the video's ending statement says. The al-Aqsa Brigades have been in operation since 2000 but were officially incorporated into Fatah in December of 2003.

Fatah, the political party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, issued an ultimatum to Israelis in July 2014: "flee our country and you won't die." Amid continual fallouts in reconciliation talks with rival political party and terrorist group Hamas, Fatah is apparently seeking to bolster its anti-Israel bona fides to recruit from an increasingly disaffected Palestinian population.