Fatah elects new party assembly

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction has elected a new revolutionary council. The move will help to further rejuvenate the movement after overhauling its main executive body this week.

Abbas addressed the event on Saturday, saying 81 members were elected, instead of the initially expected 80. Two of the candidates received the same amount of votes.

Earlier on Thursday, Abbas announced a Central Committee lineup that included several younger members and unseated a number of senior members.

Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President, said, "I believe that the Revolutionary Council, which is Fatah's Parliament, will oversee the work of Fatah..and the Central Committee, and will work hand in hand with the Central Committee."

The Revolutionary Council convenes every three months. It is charged with implementing resolutions of the congress and monitoring the performance of the Central Committee.

Fatah members believe their secular, Western-backed group is now better placed to seek reconciliation with the rival, Islamist group Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip.