Last update - 00:00 27/06/2007
Hamas: Abbas ban on armed militias is 'mere ink on paper'
By News Agnecies
Hamas dismissed on Wednesday a presidential decree dissolving armed groups in the Palestinian Authority and said it was "mere ink on paper."
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday outlawed all armed Palestinian groups except for the official PA security services in a bid to weaken the rival Hamas.
"No one has the right to determine the groups' future as long as the occupation remains in place," Hamas said, as its gunmen confronted an Israel Defense Forces incursion into the Gaza Strip which killed at least 12 Palestinians.
The decree comes a week after Abbas issued a presidential order banning only the Hamas militias, after the militant movement routed his Fatah party's forces in five days of violent fighting to take control of the Gaza Strip.
"On the basis of the declaration of a state of emergency in the Palestinian territories, and by virtue of my authority, all armed militias, groups and brigades that do not belong in practice to the security services shall be treated as illegal organizations," read the order issued Tuesday.
The order forbade such groups to conduct any activity, whether secret or public, and said that criminal investigations would be opened against anyone caught participating in such activity.
"The government must halt the phenomenon of armed groups, prevent the bearing of arms and confiscate guns, explosives and any type of weaponry purchased illegally, since they endanger the public order," the decree continued.
Fatah spokesman Ahmed Abdel Rahman said Wednesday that Abbas' latest decree was part of the efforts "to tackle the security chaos and scene of rebellion."
It is unclear how the new decree will be enforced, at least in the Gaza Strip, where Abbas no longer has any authority.
Abbas also issued an order Tuesday exempting Gaza residents from paying taxes.
According to the new Palestinian information minister, Riyad al-Maliki, members of the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have agreed to turn in their weapons in the government in exchange for guarantees that Israel not try to arrest or kill them. However, Al-Aqsa members denied this.
On Wednesday, Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade leader Zakariya Zubeidi said that he supports Abbas' move to disarm Hamas, but added that his group would not give up its arms, saying "we shall continue to defend our people where they are with our weapons."