Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., August 05, 2008 Av 4, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:11 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Israel returns Fatah men to Gaza By Haaretz Correspondents and AP , By Amos Harel and Mijal Grinberg Israel began deporting Fatah activists back to Gaza yesterday, a day after granting 188 of them temporary asylum in the wake of Hamas-Fatah clashes in the Strip. Israel originally admitted the men following a request from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, on the understanding that they would be sent on to the West Bank. It began deporting them after Abbas changed its mind. Advertisement Israeli defense sources speculated that Abbas repented his initial decision for fear that it would be perceived as his Fatah movement abandoning its last foothold in Gaza and ceding the Strip to Hamas. Aides to Abbas confirmed this view. "Fatah officials in Gaza should stay in their posts and should not leave Gaza to Hamas," Fahmi Zaghrir, a West Bank spokesman for Fatah, said yesterday. However, exceptions will be made for those wanted by Hamas, said Nimr Hamad, an Abbas adviser. After Hamas seized control of Gaza last summer, Abbas agreed to resettle some 250 of his Gaza loyalists in the West Bank. That proved financially costly: Refugees get $350 a month each, in addition to their government salaries, and the PA covers rent for dozens of the most senior among them. But beyond that, the 2007 exodus sent a message that Fatah is abandoning Gaza to Hamas. Abbas wanted to send a different message this time, aides said. Nine Palestinians wounded in the clashes are still hospitalized in Israel, and five Fatah activists apparently will be allowed to relocate to the West Bank. All the rest - most of whom are members of the Hilles clan - will apparently be sent back to Gaza. Hamas confirmed that it detained the first group of 32 who were sent back to Gaza yesterday, but said it later released all but five. Ahmed Hilles, 56, is one of the men hospitalized in Israel. He is considered one of the most senior Fatah officials in Gaza. But in an interview yesterday, he blamed Fatah, rather than Hamas, for the clashes. The conflict, he insisted, "was not a struggle between Fatah and Hamas, but a struggle by Fatah against my clan." Other Fatah members, he charged, could not stand the fact that his clan remains strong even under Hamas rule. Yet he admitted that the clashes - which killed 11 people and wounded dozens - actually began when armed Hamas men surrounded his house. Hilles praised his treatment at Soroka Medical Center, saying it was as good "as if there were no struggle between Jews and Arabs." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Shin Bet exploitation Is spying for Israel a fair swap for receiving medical treatment? A French feud French satirist denies making anti-Semitic remarks towards President Sarkozy's son.

Read & React Netanyahu: Kadima is selling Jerusalem to Israel's enemies Responses: 66 Court slams state for ignoring order to change West Bank fence route Responses: 49 Israel urges int'l pressure to stop Hezbollah arms smuggling Responses: 64 Rights group: Shin Bet coerces ill Palestinians to become informants Responses: 71 More Headlines 01:35 Defense Minister: Gaza operations are on way 19:29 High Court: Olmert can be suspended if he obstructs graft probe 23:07 MK Barakeh: We'll break any hand raised against Israel's Arabs 00:40 Kadima relieves Livni of vow to remain in party 02:11 Movement organizing to reestablish evacuated Gaza settlements 23:00 Israeli food company: We won't sell produce grown by Arabs 01:32 A maverick's life, post one / Forget hypocrisy and humbug 00:40 Or Akiva man suspected of conspiring to cause his mistress to miscarry 15:59 Pollard sues Israel for failing to grant him financial assistance 23:05 Caught on film: How Obama's note was stolen from Western Wall 01:52 Kidnapped man turns out to be victim of jealous husband, not robbers 22:29 Rights group: Shin Bet coercing ill Palestinians to become informants 22:58 Israel transfers 88 Fatah men who fled Gaza into West Bank 22:31 Satirical jab at Sarkozy's son sparks cries of anti-Semitism 12:09 Officials investigating threats of Al-Qaida attacks in Europe Previous Editions Select Day 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Isaac Maimon at Dreamshoppe Special summer sale. Make an offer now. You will be surprised. MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved