Palestinians celebrate the founding of the Fatah political group that rules the West Bank. (SOUND UP)<br/> <br />Friday marks the Palestinian nationalist movement's 48th anniversary since Yasser Arafat established the party in 1965.<br/> <br />Although it has militant roots, the secular movement later led peacemaking efforts with Israel.<br/> <br />Fatah was also key in the creation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza.<br/> <br />But Fatah has lost some ground in the West Bank recently due to infighting and an acrimonious relationship with technocrat Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.<br/> <br />The group also lost a key Gaza election in 2006 and was eventually rooted out by Islamist ruling party Hamas, which is also the area's largest militant group.
