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Last update - 18:29 29/07/2008 Hamas to Fatah: Only Zionist protection keeping you safe in West Bank By Reuters Tags: Hamas, Fatah, Gaza, West Bank Hamas Islamists threatened their Fatah rivals on Tuesday with future retaliation in the West Bank for a campaign of arrests by forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, saying the only thing keeping the militant group from attacking Fatah in the West Bank was their "protection of the Zionists" there. A senior Palestinian security official in Ramallah dismissed the threats as those of "irresponsible people". Abbas' security forces have detained at least 150 Hamas supporters in the West Bank in response to a sweep in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas seized nearly 200 Fatah sympathizers after a bomb blast killed five Hamas militants and a girl on Friday. Advertisement Hamas blamed the bombing on Fatah, which denies involvement. "Now the Zionists are protecting you," Hamas said in a statement addressed to security forces in the West Bank. "You know that once the protection of the Zionists is over, people will enter your headquarters and kick you out," it said. "You must know we are not acting against you now in the West Bank because ... we know the Zionists will immediately back you." Hamas fighters routed their Fatah foes in the Gaza Strip a year ago, when hundreds of people were killed during and after the fighting. The Islamist group has not tried to replicate its conquest in the West Bank, but have rejected Abbas' demands that they relinquish control of Gaza before any reconciliation. The West Bank security official said of Hamas' threats: "If they can take these headquarters, what are they waiting for? Why are they allowed to kill and arrest people in Gaza?" The official, who asked not to be named, said the crackdown targeted illegal weapons and lawbreakers, not Hamas. "Many Hamas figures who abide by the law are not arrested," he said. He would not say how many people had been arrested since Friday, but said many detainees had already been released. Hamas also says it has freed about half of those it had rounded up. However, jails were overflowing in the West Bank city of Jenin, where a Palestinian security source said the arrest campaign had slowed because there was no more room in the cells. He said at least 70 suspected Hamas supporters had been detained in Jenin alone. Palestinian security forces released a political science lecturer at al-Najah University in the West Bank city of Nablus, but Hamas said 53 of its supporters were still behind bars. "Freedom of speech should be honored. Otherwise there will be a social and political rift among Palestinians," the lecturer, Abdul Sattar Qasem, told reporters after his release. Qasem, 60, describes himself as an independent, but some Fatah officials see him as pro-Hamas. He said the officer who detained him on Sunday night gave no reason for the action. Qasem said he was not mistreated during the 24 hours he spent in a cell with 12 other detainees. Both Fatah and Hamas have mistreated and sometimes tortured detainees in the past year, human rights groups say. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Internal fighting Human rights groups say torture is widespread in Palestinian lockups. Danger looms Pentagon chief Robert Gates warns: War with Iran would be 'disastrous.'   1.   Hamas publicists claim they are not afraid of Israelis 15:54  |  PETER SM 29/07/08   2.   Now tell me, who is more feared by Fatah? Israelis or Hamas? 15:59  |  S 29/07/08   3.   i never understood why israel backs fatah 16:03  |  paulo2005 29/07/08   4.   Cut gaza in half, east and west...occupy the eastern half, 16:09  |  dav zee 29/07/08   5.   poulo como? 16:22  |  Ramius 29/07/08   6.   The real Islamic war 16:30  |  Dr Noam 29/07/08   7.   To Paolo 3, 16:48  |  Jozef 29/07/08   8.   Hey, Tosefta! 16:53  |  Jeff Northridge 29/07/08   9.   Civil war propably will break out in Pal state 17:15  |  Mark B. 29/07/08   10.   Lucky is the one who has the last laugh. 17:37  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 29/07/08   11.   the difference between Hamas and Fatah... 18:13  |  maurice 29/07/08   12.   the difference between Hamas and Fatah... 18:24  |  vik 29/07/08   13.   failed leadership 18:52  |  bashar 29/07/08   14.   Fatah has failed in peace-negotiations, 19:02  |  Kris Lazar 29/07/08   15.   $20 Bet -Jeff Northridge 19:07  |  D. Follet 29/07/08   16.   Mark B. # 9 The Rebels vs. The Federals 19:10  |  Jeff Northridge 29/07/08   17.   Making Jimmy Carter proud 19:52  |  Arie 29/07/08   18.   A Tacit Admission: Hamas Arfraid of Israel 20:01  |  JP 29/07/08   19.   ONLY TERROR KEEPS HAMAS ALIVE 20:10  |  Iskander 29/07/08   20.   bashar 20:36  |  realamerican 29/07/08   21.   You know you failed, when your occupier favour/keeps u in Power. 21:21  |  John 29/07/08   22.   To Fatah "freedom fighters": be men and blast Hamas 21:30  |  Moshe 29/07/08   23.   To Hamas "God fighters", don`t be afraid of Zionists and strike 21:32  |  Moshe 29/07/08   24.   civil war ~ civil war ~ civil war ~ civil war ~ civil war 21:56  |  ivo 29/07/08   25.   dr naoam;jews also hate collaboraters 22:05  |  asd 29/07/08   26.   the collaborator abbas and his hench,men should be tried for 22:26  |  lakshmi 29/07/08   27.   ASD, "Collaborator" is a funny name for a guy who want peace. 22:29  |  JP 29/07/08   28.   #23, Hani, as you can see, folks like lakshmi... 22:43  |  JP 29/07/08   29.   Shameful Behavior. 22:52  |  Ibrahim 29/07/08   30.   Lakshmi are you already up to speed on Ahmedabad/Banagalor killin 22:55  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/07/08   31.   Abbas & Henchmen 23:19  |  SpankU 29/07/08   32.   Ibrahim: Shameful Behavior Indeed... 23:48  |  JP 29/07/08   33.   Ibrahim #29: the occupation is a nice song to sing - 23:54  |  ivo 29/07/08   34.   Religious+secular clobbering each other not new in Arab world 23:58  |  Sam 29/07/08   35.   29 ibrahim 00:08  |  alan 30/07/08   36.   only Israeli rightwing keeping Hamas in power 00:23  |  newageblues 30/07/08   37.   WHERE IS CFOOL and his fearless Hamas fighters routine 00:26  |  PETER SM 30/07/08   38.   JP, on the on the contrary 03:46  |  Ibrahim 30/07/08   39.   ivo, more rationalizing 03:49  |  Ibrahim 30/07/08   40.   alan`s sillyness 03:51  |  Ibrahim 30/07/08   41.   Ibrahim #39: how not to deal w.the menace - 13:33  |  ivo 30/07/08   42.   hamas is right... 17:42  |  ravi 30/07/08   43.   S 2# After what Hamas did to Fatahmembers in Gaza..Hamas surely 22:22  |  Marco 30/07/08

Read & React Abbas vows to dismantle PA if Israel frees Hamas prisoners for Shalit Responses: 173 Palestinian boy, 11, killed during protest at West Bank fence Responses: 219 Haaretz TV: Hamas summer camp teaches Gaza kids to hate and kill Responses: 111 Barak: U.S. to provide Israel with defense systems against Iran strike Responses: 69 Olmert: I'll quit once new Kadima leader chosen Responses: 38 Rosner's Domain Lieberman seen as good veep choice (WTR) What American Jews believe (WTR) Barack Obama, the fashionable darling of the Israeli left The Lebanese are undercutting goodwill in Washington (WTR) More Headlines 22:06 Olmert: I'll quit as PM when Kadima picks new leader 22:24 Opposition lawmaker: Kadima has reached the end of its road 22:20 Poll: Netanyahu is public's preferred choice for next PM 22:25 Background / Scandals linked to Olmert 16:46 Syria and Israel end 4th round of indirect talks, more set for Aug. 21:52 Palestinians: IDF troops wound 9 at boy's funeral in West Bank 22:29 Israeli defender Tal Ben-Haim signs with Manchester City FC 18:05 State panel of inquiry to probe treatment of evacuated settlers 10:51 Can a 14-year-old computer geek be the CEO of a startup company? 17:38 Study: Both Hamas and Fatah guilty of human rights violations 17:35 Court orders squatters to quit East Jerusalem property at once 13:56 Barak: U.S. to provide Israel with defense systems against Iran strike 16:40 Government weighs congestion tax aimed at Tel Aviv drivers 19:10 German broadcaster shuts Gaza office to protest camerman's arrest Previous Editions Select Day 29 jul 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul

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