Palestinian Forces Block Gaza Intersection in Protest Over Government's Inability to

[Logan13]

Sunday, October 22, 2006
Associated Press
Palestinian Forces Block Gaza Intersection in Protest Over Government's Inability to Pay Salaries
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian security demanding overdue salaries from the Hamas government blocked main Gaza Strip intersections on Sunday and forced shopkeepers to shutter their stores, in the widening faceoff between the ruling party and forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Security officers affiliated with Abbas' Fatah party set tires ablaze on main highways, snarling traffic and sending black smoke billowing over Gaza. Fatah security forces, some dressed in camouflage, forcibly shut down Gaza shops, shooting up lighting, facades and displays of shops that refused to abide by the strike.

The unrest came just hours after a senior Fatah activist was killed early Sunday in a gunbattle with Hamas militia. Fighting near the Bureij and Nusseirat refugee camps in central Gaza began over the weekend after Fatah police demonstrated to demand salaries on the eve of a major Muslim holiday.

Fatah vowed to further escalate the unrest before and after the three-day Eid el-Fitr festivities, which begin Monday.

Tensions between the two factions have been rising since the Islamic Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, unseated the long-ruling Fatah in January parliamentary elections.

The Hamas government, choked by international sanctions meant to force it to moderate, has been largely unable to pay 165,000 state workers — half of them security forces — since taking office in March. Nevertheless, it has refused to ease its hardline stand against Israel and join with the more moderate Fatah in a coalition government that would recognize the Jewish state.

Fatah and Hamas are also at loggerheads over control of the security forces, which are for the most part under Fatah's control. Hamas formed its own 6,000-member militia several months ago, raising the stakes in the often-violent battle between the two.

On Saturday, Abbas brought a security commander out of retirement to block Hamas from building up its forces in the West Bank — another sign that the standoff between the Islamic militants and Fatah could erupt into widespread violence.

The commander, Ismail Jaber, is tainted by corruption but holds sway over key West Bank commanders. He is seen as one of the few people who can unify pro-Fatah forces in the West Bank, which have been riven by infighting and rivalries.

Jaber was appointed a day after Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said the Hamas militia would be reinforced in the West Bank, Fatah's stronghold. A Hamas official said they planned to recruit about 1,500 members there.

Adding to Fatah's concerns, Hamas officials said Iran has promised to help train their security forces

[Logan13]

Associated Press
Hamas Prime Minister Won't Head Gov't That Recognizes Israel
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said Friday he will not head a government that recognizes Israel, striking a potential blow to President Mahmoud Abbas' attempts to create a national unity government.

Haniyeh spoke a day after Abbas indicated at the United Nations that a coalition government of Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement would recognize the Jewish state.

"I personally will not head any government that recognizes Israel," Haniyeh said in a mosque sermon in Gaza City, laying out his group's position in coalition talks with Abbas.

However, Haniyeh said Hamas is ready to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem — areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War — and to honor a long-term truce with Israel.

"We support establishing a Palestinian state in the land of 1967 at this stage, but in return for a cease-fire, not recognition," Haniyeh said.

Abbas was still in New York and couldn't be immediately reached for comment on Haniyeh's remarks. A close adviser, Nabil Amr, clarified that the Palestinian president would not ask Hamas to explicitly recognize Israel, but to abide by Palestine Liberation Organization agreements that recognize the Jewish state.

"We expect Hamas to agree to this," Amr said.

Hamas, which swept Palestinian parliamentary elections in January, currently rules alone. But Abbas, elected separately last year, has been toiling for months to broaden the government in the hope of easing crushing international sanctions imposed on the Hamas-led government to force it to soften its violent anti-Israel ideology.

Last week, the two sides announced they would govern together, and strive to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel — an objective that implies recognition of the Jewish state.

But coalition talks have faltered because the West and Israel have balked at restoring hundreds of millions of dollars in funding until Hamas clearly states its willingness to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin reiterated Israel's demand that any Palestinian government yield to the demands the international community has imposed.

Abbas told a U.N. forum Thursday that the national unity government would commit to all past agreements between the Palestinians and Israel, including letters exchanged by the two sides in 1993 that call for mutual recognition and the renunciation of violence.

Officials from both Fatah and Hamas said privately that it wasn't clear whether Abbas' speech was meant to solicit international support for the planned government, or a new condition to forming a coalition with Hamas.

In deciding to form a coalition with Fatah, Hamas had agreed to "respect" past agreements, but didn't commit to them, calling into question Abbas' ability to maneuver in any future peacemaking. Hamas is afraid that committing to past agreements would be tantamount to recognizing Israel, which it is sworn to destroy.

Earlier Friday, Haniyeh's political adviser, Ahmed Yousef, said instead of recognizing Israel, Hamas was prepared to agree to a "long-term truce for five or 10 years, until the occupation withdraws."

In the past, Hamas has offered a long-term truce in exchange for an Israeli commitment to withdraw from all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel rejects that demand.

Yousef said renouncing violence was a clause of the agreement underlying the planned coalition government. He was unclear on what Hamas would do if coalition talks break down.

A spokesman for the Hamas-led government, Ghazi Hamad, said the group would ask Abbas to clarify his remarks after he returns from his trip.

[singern]

Once again, the entire Palestinian population suffers because of the stupidity of a radical minority, Perhaps they do need a civil war to rid themselves of the extremists who are keeping an entire nation in the dark. When will they learn, "Israel is here to stay" get over it and move on.

[mcpeepants]

Once again, the entire Palestinian population suffers because of the stupidity of a radical minority, Perhaps they do need a civil war to rid themselves of the extremists who are keeping an entire nation in the dark. When will they learn, "Israel is here to stay" get over it and move on.

The west is punishing the palestinian people for democratically electing Hamas after requiring elections. So the west supports democracy unless the results aren't to there liking.

[Logan13]

The west is punishing the palestinian people for democratically electing Hamas after requiring elections. So the west supports democracy unless the results aren't to there liking.

No country is entitled to my tax dollars.........

[Phreak101]

The west is punishing the palestinian people for democratically electing Hamas after requiring elections. So the west supports democracy unless the results aren't to there liking.

Sadamm Hussein was "democratically elected" as well. I question any and all "democracy" coming from the Middle East....

[singern]

The west is punishing the palestinian people for democratically electing Hamas after requiring elections. So the west supports democracy unless the results aren't to there liking.

Not at all,
The Palestinians did democratically elect Hamas, and in turn the world did elect not to give aid and comfort to a terrorist organization.

Ive said it before and Ill say it again, The Palestinians deserve self rule, in a state of there own, side by side next to Israel, but they must see that Israel is not going anywhere and certainly not at the hand of terrorists.

[mcpeepants]

Sadamm Hussein was "democratically elected" as well. I question any and all "democracy" coming from the Middle East....

Saddam came to power in a coup and had fake elections where he would win like 97 or 98 percent of the vote. The palestinian election was monitored by international agencies and judge to be quite fair. It was the results that the west did not like.

[mcpeepants]

Not at all,
The Palestinians did democratically elect Hamas, and in turn the world did elect not to give aid and comfort to a terrorist organization.

Ive said it before and Ill say it again, The Palestinians deserve self rule, in a state of there own, side by side next to Israel, but they must see that Israel is not going anywhere and certainly not at the hand of terrorists.

I personally can't see a palestinian state and israel conciding mainly because either the palestinian state or israel is going to get disconnected and the issue of refugees. I see the solution as one secular democratic state.

The west doesn't have to give them money. My issue is things like sanctioning banks that wire money to palestinian government, lack of control of their air space, or coastal area.

[mcpeepants]

No country is entitled to my tax dollars.........

If the west doesn't want to give them money, that's fine.

[Logan13]

I personally can't see a palestinian state and israel conciding mainly because either the palestinian state or israel is going to get disconnected and the issue of refugees. I see the solution as one secular democratic state.

The west doesn't have to give them money. My issue is things like sanctioning banks that wire money to palestinian government, lack of control of their air space, or coastal area.

The words secular and middle east are oxymorons. You can't take everyone's religion away without a fight.........

[Logan13]

If the west doesn't want to give them money, that's fine.

thank you for giving us your authorization.
Even so, you could always send in your own money to Hamas. You know, to let them know that at least someone out there still cares.