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Hamas forces triumphant in Gaza Strip. (AP) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 12:05 15/06/2007 ANALYSIS: The West Bank is not the Gaza Strip, Palestinians say By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents RAMALLAH - The telephone in the senior Fatah official's office in Ramallah began ringing incessantly shortly after 1 P.M. Thursday. His people in Gaza wanted advice on what to do. Hamas gunmen were surrounding their headquarters, the gunfights were growing fiercer. Should they surrender to Hamas, they asked, or continue fighting to the death? The senior official replied cautiously. "You're in charge," he said. "Do what you think is best." At one point, the Gazan commander wanted to talk to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and ask his permission to surrender, since they had run out of munitions. But Abbas was busy meeting with the PLO leadership in Ramallah. Advertisement A few minutes later, another phone call came from Gaza. This time, the official realized it was over. "If you give in, don't let them take the weapons. Put all rockets and guns in the basement. Burn all the floors and then the basement and cars. When you surrender, don't agree to undress," he ordered his Gazan subordinate. When his dead and wounded exceeded his remaining fighters, the Gazan commander surrendered. The fate of Fatah's other headquarters in the Strip was similar. At noon, Hamas conquered Gaza's Preventive Security headquarters, which symbolized Fatah's corruption. But the Hamas group that took it over is already making Gazans miss the days of the corrupt PA, and even the Israeli occupation. "They're using the same methods as the Israelis, and even worse," a senior Palestinian source said. "They declare an area a closed military zone and shoot anyone who goes out into the street. Hamasniks strip Fatah men they capture, humiliate and beat them. They go from door to door with lists to hunt down Fatah people and execute them." Fatah's military defeat was mainly caused by the split in the organization, he said: "All the forces are identified with Fatah, but each force fought independently against Hamas, which was united and better trained." Fatah officials in the West Bank spoke with contempt about Hamas in Gaza. "Let's see how they manage now, after they've won, running things like water and power from Israel," one official said. "How will they cooperate with Israel over the border crossings?" On Thursday evening, PA Secretary Tayeb Abed al-Rahim announced to the media that Ismail Haniyeh's government had been fired and Abbas had declared an emergency situation. Abbas's associates said that Fatah would arrest Hamas operatives in the West Bank and treat them as an illegal militia. Israel helped behind the scenes, approving Fatah's requests to move forces and weapons in the West Bank. But the Israel Defense Forces also continued its raids and arrests in the West Bank. This reflects Israel's confusion over events. The defense establishment is cautious, reluctant to take part in the internal Palestinian war. But it is difficult to know how long this policy will last. Israel will not be able to keep the Gaza crossings closed forever. Ramallah residents Thursday dismissed the possibility of Hamas taking over the West Bank. In Gaza, "there are tribes and clans like in the Jahiliyyah [pre-Islam] era," said one, Qassem. "Here, in the West Bank, we're more civilized, educated. It's a different nation, not like in Gaza." Related articles: Hamas calls for Israel ties on Gaza civilian needs U.S. wants to fast-track peace talks, boost Abbas standing Fatah gunmen kill Hamas militant in W. Bank city of Nablus Bookmark to del.icio.us Killer father Rabin killer's wife says will tell tjheir son his father 'sacrificed himself for his people'. Tehran to Tel Aviv A Christian-Jewish group is promising dozens of Iranian Jews a better life in Israel.   1.   Ramallah residents: West Bank is `different nation` than Gaza 04:42  |  alex 15/06/07   2.   Hey Amos, a... 05:50  |  Jeffrey 15/06/07   3.   "Here in the West Bank, we`re more civilized..". Yeah, right. 05:52  |  Dr. L. Brnd 15/06/07   4.   ** Totally Out of Touch & Despicable Abbas 05:56  |  Gary Pineda 15/06/07   5.   THERE`S NO PALESTINIAN NATION:GAZA WAS EGYPT,RAMALLAH-JORDAN!)))) 06:05  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 15/06/07   6.   One State Isn`t Enough For the Palestinians 06:55  |  massaraksh 15/06/07   7.   Lead by Example 06:58  |  smeze75 15/06/07   8.   Unbelievable 07:19  |  Y. M. Ardam 15/06/07   9.   Maybe it all really is a plot by Israel 07:37  |  Voice of Reason 15/06/07   10.   ONLY SOLUTION: GAZA TO EGYPT; W.BANK PARTITIONED WITH JORDAN 08:25  |  MG 15/06/07   11.   Willing pawns. 10:30  |  Colin 15/06/07   12.   will not be able to keep the Gaza crossings closed forever...Why? 10:47  |  David G 15/06/07   13.   Hey MG, Hats Off To You 12:19  |  Dyinglikeflies 15/06/07   14.   Voice of Reason-Not-israel`s enemies are just that foolish 13:19  |  robert 15/06/07   15.   blah blah (israel is bad) blah blah 14:14  |  izzy d 15/06/07   16.   The IDF kills Palestinian in the West Bank village of Sayida 14:18  |  David 15/06/07   17.   #9 Voice of reason 14:42  |  itsik 15/06/07   18.   Pal nationality 18:39  |  Joseph 15/06/07   19.   People like a dose of positive news 18:54  |  Sherlock Holmes 15/06/07   20.   That`s Right: Gaza is Iran Again. 22:35  |  Solon 15/06/07   21.   Failed Arab Strategy 03:43  |  Bill 16/06/07   22.   alex neither your country nor olmert u both bandets 08:36  |  arab 16/06/07   23.   SimpleMath: Why no existing nation wants Gaza 16:40  |  Iyor 16/06/07   24.   one state solution 20:04  |  janet 16/06/07   25.   I lived in West Bank and Gaza 20:58  |  Omar 16/06/07   26.   why they don`t want to be identified..... 05:12  |  maria 23/10/07   27.   but omar........ 05:22  |  maria 23/10/07

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