Last update - 00:00 28/01/2007
ANALYSIS: Fatah scores its first victories in clashes with Hamas
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent
The development of recent days' clashes between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza closely resembles the development of gun battles several weeks ago: a local incident that escalates into an exchange of fire throughout the Gaza Strip and continues with a series of abductions on both sides, use of RPGs and mortars, the takeover of homes, snipers on the roofs, roadblocks and executions.
However, unlike previous clashes, in the latest clashes Fatah marked a first military victory. In all gun battles to date, Fatah casualties outnumbered Hamas casualties, but over the weekend, Hamas lost a greater number of people. The victory was achieved partially due to Fatah's realizations that in order to face the threat posed by Hamas, Fatah security forces must work together.
The incident most reflective of Fatah's first military success occurred on Friday evening. In raid similar to the one in which Colonel Mohammed Ghraib of Fatah's Preventive Security Apparatus was assassinated, Hamas' Executive Force encircled and isolated the home of a senior Fatah official, Mansur al-Shalayel, in the Jabalya refugee camp.
And yet, it appears the Fatah security forces learned their lesson from the Ghraib incident. Mohammed Dahlan, who is in charge of the security forces controlled by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, summoned all Fatah commanders and warned them that if any harm comes to al-Shlayel, "I will fire the lot of you."
The message was loud and clear. In less than an hour, a special force of 70 armed men from the Presidential Guard, the Naval Police and the National Security Force was formed.
This force, equipped with armored vehicles and personnel carriers belonging to Abbas' presidential guard, moved toward Jabalya, broke through the Hamas barriers and surrounded the Hamas force besieging al-Shlayel's home. Hamas forces found themselves under fire from two directions - Fatah activists within the house and the special force's 70 troops.
During the incident, seven Hamas men were killed, dozens were injured, and more than 10 were arrested.
Saturday's fighting also claimed a larger number of casualties among Hamas, but Fatah cannot be pleased with the developments in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian public blames both factions for the chaos, killings, and disruptions to their everyday lives.
Neither side is victorious in the civil war, and battles continue with no foreseeable solution. Both factions no longer have faith in promises made by their rival, negotiations over forming a national unity government have ceased, and hostility is reaching new heights. Hamas and Fatah now operate agents within the rival organization and do not hesitate to shoot at mosques sheltering their rival's supporters. Additionally, fear that Fatah will try to assassinate the organizations men in public hospitals has led Hamas to begin operating a secret network of private clinics.
Hamas has reason to be concerned as well. Over the past 48 hours, its troops have become inferior militarily facing the exceptional cooperation between Fatah's security forces. Palestinian journalists tapping into Hamas communication networks said they intercepted a call from the director of one of Hamas's private clinics saying there are dozens of injured men at the clinic and asking for an urgent supply of medicine and additional personnel.
Moreover, the key problem facing Hamas is its apparent lack of leadership in the Gaza Strip. Even Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh does not stand out as a leader, as he seems unable and unwilling to intervene. Military wing troops do not take orders from the political leadership in Gaza and do not adhere to understandings reached with Fatah leaders. The head of Hamas's military wing, Ahmed al-Jabari, takes his orders from one man and one man alone - Khaled Meshal, the organization's political. But the sounds of mortars and exploding rockets do not echo all the way to Damascus, and Meshal seems in no hurry to put an end to the current round of fighting.