The Palestinian mainstream Fatah movement decided on Friday to hold internal elections in August 2005 for the first time in 16 years.

The elections will choose new members of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, the Central Committee and other institutions of the party, according to Amin Maqboul, a senior party member.

They will take place on Aug. 4, 2005 during Fatah's sixth conference, Maqboul said.

Fatah's last conference was in Algeria in 1989.