Disappointed members of Fatah’s Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group who were left off the amnesty list approved recently by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert have taken their business elsewhere, sort of.
The disgruntled renegades have joined with Hamas terrorists to create a new gang, called the “Fire Belt,” according to a report published by WorldNet Daily.
A spokesman for the Shechem-based Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades group said Sunday that politics between the two factions has not stopped terrorists in both groups from working together.
Abu Nasser, the self-declared leader of the new terror gang, said “Fatah and Hamas are having diplomatic problems, but that doesn’t mean we are not united in the battle against the (Israeli) occupation.”
The new group made its terror debut over the weekend by throwing grenades at IDF soldiers operating near Shechem.
“The Fire Belt will carry out many more attacks,” promised Nasser. “We hope this cooperation will bring the two parties (Fatah and Hamas) to respect Palestinian unity and safeguard that unity.”
The two rival factions, who were former partners in a Palestinian Authority unity government, divorced each other with the bloody takeover of Gaza by Hamas in June. Fatah retained control over PA areas in Judea and Samaria.
PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has won generous support in the form of money, arms and military training as well as effusive praise from Israel, the United States and other western nations since splitting with Hamas.
Abbas has been warned repeatedly that the picture could change drastically should he reconsider his position and renew a relationship with Hamas. Recent reports in the Arabic press have indicated that Abbas may be pursuing just such an agenda.
The PA Chairman meanwhile is scheduled to meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for another “confidence-building” talk, this time in Jerusalem.