A senior Hamas official stationed in Damascus blames the ongoing internecine warfare in Gaza on Israel, the Western nations, and the Arab and Muslim states - except Syria and Iran. Meanwhile, Palestinian Authority militias continue to target one another in Gaza, but their fellow terrorists in Judea and Samaria call for a truce.
The Hamas official also claimed, "The Israelis are behind all these events."
In an interview with the German news agency Deutsche-Presse Agenteur, Hamas's deputy politburo chief Musa Abu Marzouk declared, "Undoubtedly, Syria and Iran have no role in this crisis. The two countries are striving to achieve a national unity and do not... work to blow up the Palestinian arena."
On the other hand, if the world would send direct aid to the PA, which is currently under joint Hamas-Fatah control, there would be no "tension" between the two groups, Abu Marzouk said. He also blamed the "failure of Arab countries to meet their financial obligations" for the ongoing killings, bombings and kidnapings between Hamas and Fatah supporters.
Simultaneous to his blame of the West and the Arab states, the Hamas official also claimed, "The Israelis are behind all these events."
European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, who was criticized in Abu Marzouk’s speech as well, rejected claims that the international pause on direct aid to the PA was responsible for Gaza violence. The United States, United Nations and other past donors to the PA are ready to resume aid when Hamas recognizes Israel and renounces violence.
Abbas Cancels Gaza Visit
The Arab news source PNN reported on Thursday night that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas canceled a planned visit to Gaza in the afternoon due to a security threat to him and his entourage. A bomb-laden tunnel was built under the road on which Abbas was to travel from the Erez crossing to his Gaza office, according to PNN.
Abu Marzouk had earlier said that Abbas's visit to Gaza was to be "decisive" in ending the Hamas-Fatah war. It is unclear how Hamas or Fatah will view the cancellation of the PA chairman's foray into Gaza.
Sources close to Abbas said recently that PA-controlled areas are approaching total political anarchy, and expressed doubt that the Hamas-Fatah coalition will last much longer. Dozens of PA Arabs in Gaza have been killed in fighting between the two groups since Sunday.
It is unclear how Hamas or Fatah will view the cancellation of the PA chairman's foray into Gaza.
Attempt at Terrorist Unity in Samaria
Even as violent clashes continued in Gaza on Thursday, representatives of four Arab terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria met in a joint news conference to condemn the internal fighting and to declare their unity.
Terrorists from the Al-Aksa Brigades of Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah, the Al-Kassam Brigades of Hamas, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad jointly expressed "astonishment" over the internal PA killings in Gaza. Coming together in Shechem, the representatives of the various PA groups declared themselves and their Gaza branches "brothers who share the same suffering."
The statement further said, "We absolutely reject the attempts to widen the cycle of violence through adding oil to the fire. So, we demand [that] those who care about Palestinian interests endeavor to end the dispute and never give inciters the chance practice killing and oppression."
The Hamas official also claimed, "The Israelis are behind all these events."
In an interview with the German news agency Deutsche-Presse Agenteur, Hamas's deputy politburo chief Musa Abu Marzouk declared, "Undoubtedly, Syria and Iran have no role in this crisis. The two countries are striving to achieve a national unity and do not... work to blow up the Palestinian arena."
On the other hand, if the world would send direct aid to the PA, which is currently under joint Hamas-Fatah control, there would be no "tension" between the two groups, Abu Marzouk said. He also blamed the "failure of Arab countries to meet their financial obligations" for the ongoing killings, bombings and kidnapings between Hamas and Fatah supporters.
Simultaneous to his blame of the West and the Arab states, the Hamas official also claimed, "The Israelis are behind all these events."
European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, who was criticized in Abu Marzouk’s speech as well, rejected claims that the international pause on direct aid to the PA was responsible for Gaza violence. The United States, United Nations and other past donors to the PA are ready to resume aid when Hamas recognizes Israel and renounces violence.
Abbas Cancels Gaza Visit
The Arab news source PNN reported on Thursday night that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas canceled a planned visit to Gaza in the afternoon due to a security threat to him and his entourage. A bomb-laden tunnel was built under the road on which Abbas was to travel from the Erez crossing to his Gaza office, according to PNN.
Abu Marzouk had earlier said that Abbas's visit to Gaza was to be "decisive" in ending the Hamas-Fatah war. It is unclear how Hamas or Fatah will view the cancellation of the PA chairman's foray into Gaza.
Sources close to Abbas said recently that PA-controlled areas are approaching total political anarchy, and expressed doubt that the Hamas-Fatah coalition will last much longer. Dozens of PA Arabs in Gaza have been killed in fighting between the two groups since Sunday.
It is unclear how Hamas or Fatah will view the cancellation of the PA chairman's foray into Gaza.
Attempt at Terrorist Unity in Samaria
Even as violent clashes continued in Gaza on Thursday, representatives of four Arab terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria met in a joint news conference to condemn the internal fighting and to declare their unity.
Terrorists from the Al-Aksa Brigades of Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah, the Al-Kassam Brigades of Hamas, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad jointly expressed "astonishment" over the internal PA killings in Gaza. Coming together in Shechem, the representatives of the various PA groups declared themselves and their Gaza branches "brothers who share the same suffering."
The statement further said, "We absolutely reject the attempts to widen the cycle of violence through adding oil to the fire. So, we demand [that] those who care about Palestinian interests endeavor to end the dispute and never give inciters the chance practice killing and oppression."