A report said Fatah factions have abandoned the nationalist doctrine that dominated the movement since its inception in 1964. The report by Haifa University said the Fatah factions have been influenced by the ruling Hamas movement and were adopting an Islamist ideology.

"In the past, the Fatah struggle against Israel was seen as a nationalist struggle," Haifa University researcher Ido Zelkovitz said. "Today many factions in Fatah are talking about jihad — a holy religious war."

The researcher collected proclamations, death notices and Internet sites to track the factions. The report said the Fatah factions based their activities on family, tribal or geographic alliances, rather than nationalism.

"I am not convinced that the young leaders are as religious as they portray themselves, but there is a danger that this change will permeate through the population as a whole," Zelkovitz said.

The Fatah factions have been using Islamic rhetoric rather than the inclusive language of nationalism, the report said. Zelkovitz cited the Fatah Radicals, which fought Hamas in the late 1980s in the Gaza Strip.

"Today they boast that they are the ones who 'swear on the Great Allah's name that we will protect the beautiful Islamic Land of Palestine,'" Zelkovitz said.

The report said Fatah's adoption of Islam was largely utilitarian. Zelkovitz said Fatah factions were using Islam to help recruit young Palestinians, who regard religion as the alternative to corrupt nationalism.

"The differences between Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah are becoming blurred and we are seeing people move from one faction to another," Zelkowitz said. "We are already beginning to witness social changes that will result in two different political ideologies within the Palestinian people: an Islamic leadership in the Gaza Strip with Iran pulling the strings, and a nationalist ideology in the West Bank, which is quickly losing popular support."

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