Moderate Fatah group gains 3rd seat in PLO

The Palestinian parliament-in-exile has ended a nine-day session, electing a new executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization which appeared to strengthen still further the leading position of the moderate commando group Al-Fatah. Fatah advanced from 2 to 3 seats on the committee, which remained at 15 members.

The new Fatah man, Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian side of the Soviet-Palestinian Friendship Society, joins PLO chairman Yasser Arafat and Farouk Kaddoumi, head of the organization's political department.

Two relatively new commando groups, the Palestine Liberation Front and the Popular Struggle Front, failed to be a dmitted to the executive committee.