The fighting erupted on Sunday when PA interior minister Said Siyam sent Hamas fighters to quell a protest by Fatah policemen complaining at not having been paid in months. Last night's fighting added three deaths to the toll, with at least 22 injured.
Fatah blames Hamas for the deadly violence, and members of Fatah's Al-Aksa Brigades, who have amassed experience in murdering Jews, say they will target Hamas leaders. An announcement released by Fatah reads, "Khaled Meshal, Said Siyam, and Yusuf A-Zahar [of Hamas] are the ones responsible for the incitement, and they will therefore be executed, to serve as an example for others... This is a natural reaction to minister Siyam's decision to sent his men to fight with protestors in the streets."
In response, Hamas legislator Mushir Al-Masri said, "Fatah is merely pouring oil on the fire. Hamas will show no mercy if its leaders are targeted by the leaders of the overthrow."
The inter-faction violence has once again raised concern in the Palestinian Authority of a civil war.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, are concerned that the sharp upsurge in Hamas/Fatah violence will negatively impact efforts towards obtaining IDF Corp. Gilad Shalit’s release. The soldier was abducted on June 25th by Hamas terrorists in a raid on an IDF outpost near the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza. His whereabouts and condition are still unknown.
Just a few hours after the violence resumed last night, the Israel Air Force attacked a weapons-manufacturing plan in Khan Yunis in Gaza.
A public opinion poll released today in eastern Jerusalem shows that the Palestinian Authority public is about evenly divided in its support for Fatah and hamas. The Jerusalem Media Center, headed by Rassan al-Hatib, finds that if elections were held in the PA today, Fatah would receive 32%, while Hamas would be supported by 30.5%. The survey was carried out two weeks ago, when Fatah and Hamas were in the midst of negotiating the formation of a joint unity government.
The Hamas-Fatah violence in Gaza of the past few days has included the kidnapping of two Fatah members in Khan Yunis, the wounding of three people in a firefight at Al-Shifa Hospital between the family of a dead Fatah gunmen and Hamas police officers, the killing of a restaurant worker in Jericho by Fatah gunmen for refusing to close the eatery to comply with a Fatah-organized strike, and the shooting of two bodyguards of PA deputy prime minister Nasser al-Shaer.
Talks between Fatah and Hamas over a unity government last month reached a dead end, apparently because of the continuing refusal by Hamas to announce its recognition of Israel. The United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations demand that Hamas renounce terrorism, recognize Israel, and uphold agreements signed by the previous PA administration.
Fatah blames Hamas for the deadly violence, and members of Fatah's Al-Aksa Brigades, who have amassed experience in murdering Jews, say they will target Hamas leaders. An announcement released by Fatah reads, "Khaled Meshal, Said Siyam, and Yusuf A-Zahar [of Hamas] are the ones responsible for the incitement, and they will therefore be executed, to serve as an example for others... This is a natural reaction to minister Siyam's decision to sent his men to fight with protestors in the streets."
In response, Hamas legislator Mushir Al-Masri said, "Fatah is merely pouring oil on the fire. Hamas will show no mercy if its leaders are targeted by the leaders of the overthrow."
The inter-faction violence has once again raised concern in the Palestinian Authority of a civil war.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, are concerned that the sharp upsurge in Hamas/Fatah violence will negatively impact efforts towards obtaining IDF Corp. Gilad Shalit’s release. The soldier was abducted on June 25th by Hamas terrorists in a raid on an IDF outpost near the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza. His whereabouts and condition are still unknown.
Just a few hours after the violence resumed last night, the Israel Air Force attacked a weapons-manufacturing plan in Khan Yunis in Gaza.
A public opinion poll released today in eastern Jerusalem shows that the Palestinian Authority public is about evenly divided in its support for Fatah and hamas. The Jerusalem Media Center, headed by Rassan al-Hatib, finds that if elections were held in the PA today, Fatah would receive 32%, while Hamas would be supported by 30.5%. The survey was carried out two weeks ago, when Fatah and Hamas were in the midst of negotiating the formation of a joint unity government.
The Hamas-Fatah violence in Gaza of the past few days has included the kidnapping of two Fatah members in Khan Yunis, the wounding of three people in a firefight at Al-Shifa Hospital between the family of a dead Fatah gunmen and Hamas police officers, the killing of a restaurant worker in Jericho by Fatah gunmen for refusing to close the eatery to comply with a Fatah-organized strike, and the shooting of two bodyguards of PA deputy prime minister Nasser al-Shaer.
Talks between Fatah and Hamas over a unity government last month reached a dead end, apparently because of the continuing refusal by Hamas to announce its recognition of Israel. The United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations demand that Hamas renounce terrorism, recognize Israel, and uphold agreements signed by the previous PA administration.