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Hamas hostage hugs mother after being freed in latest truce with Fatah. (AP) Last update - 18:52 21/05/2007 Hamas, Fatah officials: Internal fighting in Gaza is far from over By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies Members of both Hamas and Fatah said Monday that internal infighting was far from over, just one day after Egyptian mediators announced a new cease-fire aimed at ending nine days of fighting that has left roughly 50 people dead. The fighting between Fatah and Hamas has abated in recent days, as Israel has responded to a heavy Qassam rocket fire with a bombing campaign against Hamas targets, but tensions remain high. "The Israeli attacks will only postpone the internal fighting but will not end it," said senior Fatah official Ziad Abu Ein. "As long as there are many guns out on the streets it is very easy to renew Palestinian-Palestinian fighting." Advertisement Islam Shahwan, spokesman for Hamas's Executive Force, agreed. "Despite the Zionist attacks, fighting has not stopped ... It will not end because they [Fatah] have a plan to destroy the Executive Force," Shahwan said. Palestinians have little faith in the latest cease-fire, agreed on Saturday under Egyptian auspices. More than 14 previous truces have come and gone in recent months. Executive Force From the perspective of Fatah and other groups, blame lies with Hamas's Executive Force. Hamas blames Fatah for igniting the latest round of fighting by deploying Fatah-dominated security forces on the streets of Gaza without coordination with the ruling Hamas movement. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction has long called for the Executive Force to be disbanded and integrated into the Palestinian Authority's other security services, which are dominated by Fatah. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders have rejected calls to disband the 5,600-strong Executive Force, which is seen as a counterweight to the existing security forces, including Abbas's elite, U.S.-backed Presidential Guard. In order to sustain any ceasefire, a third party would have to step in, Haniyeh adviser Ahmad Youssef told reporters. "We need the help of Arab observers, from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and so on, to monitor cease-fire violations," he said. Some Palestinians believe the only lasting solution will be to hold another round of elections. "We need to resolve differences through democratic means and not through power-sharing between Fatah and Hamas," said independent lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi, who took part in a conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah about the tension. Hamas, Fatah agree to cease-fire Rival Palestinian factions agreed on Sunday to end all hostilities, calling an end to 9 days of intensive fighting in the Gaza Strip, the head of the Egyptian delegation of mediators announced. The deal on Sunday between Fatah and Hamas factions cements a cease-fire struck on Saturday that has largely held. "We have managed by the efforts of all honest people to restore matters to where they were" before the figting erupted this month, Burhan Hammad, the Egyptian delegation head, said. The previous four cease-fires agreed on last week quickly fell apart as factional fighting erupted a few hours after the agreement had been reached. The Saturday truce agreement was worked out in a meeting at the Egyptian Embassy in Gaza and endorsed both by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and exiled Hamas leader political Khaled Meshal. Both sides promised to pull fighters off the streets, dismantle roadblocks and exchange hostages seized during the seven days of clashes. Shortly after the truce was agreed, clashes erupted outside the home of a senior Fatah official in Gaza City. Security officials said several people were wounded. In the course of the gunbattle, the convoy of a Fatah-allied colonel in the Palestinian intelligence came under fire, but no one was hurt. Later, however, teams of representatives from the various Palestinian militant factions went around to buildings to make sure gunmen had come down from rooftops. Once rooftops were cleared, the exchange of an unknown number of hostages kidnapped during the past week was to begin. Other faction members removed roadblocks that had been erected during the fighting to identify gunmen from rival factions. "The main guarantee is that this agreement was reached by ... Mr. Abbas and Mr. Meshal," Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said. "We are trying to have an atmosphere of national unity and reconciliation. The most important thing is to stop any form of internal violence between Palestinians." Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said he expected Saturday's truce to stick because of Israel's ongoing military strikes, aimed at halting the wave of Qassam fire on its Negev communities. "No one would accept to fight one another while the Israelis are shelling Gaza," he said Bookmark to del.icio.us   Gilad's tale VIDEO: U.S. kids read abducted soldier's story of co-existence. Leaving Torah behind Study finds religion is not very important to American Jews.   1.   New Middle East: Where is nobel "peace" prize winner Peres? 12:35  |  Nili 20/05/07   2.   Stop the shameful infighting 12:38  |  Ben Alofs 20/05/07   3.   Is ANYONE keeping count 17:46  |  * BEN JABO 20/05/07   4.   Dog food 17:58  |  BobUSA 20/05/07   5.   And the winner is.....!!!!! 23:53  |  Adrian de Klerk 20/05/07   6.   How long will this ceacefire last 00:11  |  zionist forever 21/05/07   7.   Ben Jabo #3 02:18  |  Vadim 21/05/07   8.   Hamas, Fatah agree to end all hostilities in the Gaza Strip 02:24  |  E Marks 21/05/07   9.   The Palis don`t call this fighting 03:30  |  ottomatik 21/05/07   10.   "Why kill each other, when they should wage agresson to Israel"ha 03:49  |  Adam 21/05/07   11.   Who`ll command Terrorists , Hamasnik-Gea`bar or Fatahnik-Dahlan, 04:17  |  Joseph E . 21/05/07   12.   Unity government is destined to fail-all about the powerstruggle 04:29  |  Marwan مروان خوري 21/05/07   13.   Fatah must disband , PLO , PA , PNA must disband 04:37  |  Joseph E . 21/05/07   14.   # 3 BEN JABO 05:47  |  Lynn 21/05/07   15.   E Marks 05:48  |  Lynn 21/05/07   16.   What a joke 05:57  |  Mark 21/05/07   17.   #5 Vadim 07:26  |  * BEN JABO 21/05/07   18.   So in order to avoid Palestinian civil war 18:43  |  Jon 21/05/07   19.   Palestinian Cease Fire 19:07  |  MichaelF 21/05/07   20.   to Marwan who left Lebanon for good to Montreal 19:17  |  Tamir Gaza 21/05/07   21.   palestinian killing 19:21  |  real vision 21/05/07   22.   Hams killing Fatah, Fatah killing Hamas... 19:47  |  Max 21/05/07   23.   Allow me to be blunt 19:58  |  rich 21/05/07   24.   Adan in Michigan 19:59  |  rich 21/05/07   25.   TRUE COLORS 20:22  |  MATILDA 21/05/07   26.   FIGHT FIGHT AMONG THEMSELVES 20:24  |  TOBIA 21/05/07   27.   I don`t get it 20:26  |  N/A 21/05/07   28.   #1 Nili 20:40  |  James 21/05/07   29.   #4 20:42  |  Jersey 21/05/07   30.   TenShi = Heaven & Hell 20:48  |  Tojo 21/05/07   31.   Fatah...why not ambush Hamas before they ambush you 20:53  |  peace is just a word 21/05/07   32.   to #31 what Hamas says 22:34  |  Chick Corea 21/05/07

Read & React Barak orders Gaza crossings sealed in response to Qassams Responses: 18 Rosner's Guest: Israel was wrong on Hezbollah war, wrong on Gaza restraint Responses: 5 Attempted coup splits Hamas military wing in two Responses: 12 Cabinet set to vote on Hezbollah deal, but PM stance uncertain Responses: 2 Yossi Melman: Israel's spymasters are bullying the families of abducted soldiers Send response Rosner's Domain Guest: Not going to war in Gaza - erroneous choice Religion is not very important to American Jews Al Hura not working? Tell me something I don't know (WTR) Poll: exchange deal with Hezbollah, good or bad? Why do non-Jewish Americans support Israel? More Headlines 11:09 Olmert and Barak strike deal to salvage coalition 10:23 Barak orders Gaza crossings sealed in response to Qassams 10:56 Cabinet set for Hezbollah swap vote; Olmert stance uncertain 10:42 Coalition crisis / Two Ehuds take each other down in duel of despair 08:42 Negotiator heading back to Cairo for indirect talks on Shalit 05:54 Who will defend ultra-Orthodox women's labor rights? 08:46 Attempted coup splits Hamas military wing in two 09:11 Baby switch cost Jerusalem hospital NIS 2 million 08:10 Border cop dies from self-inflicted shot at Sarkozy farewell 22:52 VIDEO: Two years after his kidnap, U.S. kids read Gilad Shalit's tale of co-existence 01:38 Professor Gabriela Shalev nominated as new UN ambassador Previous Editions Select Day 24 jun 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun

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