Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday he won't allow internal fighting to continue, and called for rival factions to respect each other.

Abbas spoke at a rally marking the 42nd anniversary of the founding of the Fatah movement he heads. Thousands of Fatah supporters, waving the movement's yellow flags in a show of strength against Hamas, crowded into Abbas walled headquarters in the west Bank city of Ramallah. The crowd chanted slogans against Hamas and its Iranian backers.

"The priority for me is preserving national unity and preventing and prohibiting internal fighting," Abbas told the crowd. "Palestinian blood is a red line."

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He began his speech by admonishing the crowd, saying he had heard shots fired in the air in the run-up to the rally. He said no one should shoot in the air.

"Shooting at your brother is also forbidden," he said, referring to several weeks of internal fighting between Hamas and Fatah that have killed 35 people.