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Fatah supporters running from gunfire during clashes with Hamas forces at Gaza rally (AP)
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At least six killed after Hamas opens fire on Arafat rally in Gaza
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters and The Associated Press
tags: West Bank, Gaza, Salam Fayad 

Hamas security forces opened fire Monday during a mass memorial service for the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and at least six people were killed in the ensuing violence.

Some 55 were wounded in the clash, three of whom were in serious condition, including a Hamas policeman who was shot in the head.

Palestinian Authority television, broadcasting from the West Bank, said eight people had been killed in the violence, but only published the names of six of them.
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According to Hamas, one of those killed was one of its members, shot by Fatah snipers on nearby rooftops. Fatah on the other hand said the man was one of its members, shot from a passing car while on his way to the rally.

The rally was the largest show of force by the rival Fatah movement since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June, and the deadliest showdown in Gaza since the Hamas takeover.

More than 250,000 Fatah supporters joined Monday's rally in a major square of Gaza City. As shots were fired, protesters scrambled for cover and masked Hamas security men ran through the city streets firing weapons.

Bodyguards of senior Fatah officials were seen covering their bosses and
dragging them out of the rally grounds.

Two hours later, hundreds of Hamas gunmen were in control of the protest site. Hundreds of protesters were still in the area, trying to get out. Hamas men were seen arresting protesters, and sporadic gunfire could be heard.

An eyewitness, identifying himself as Abu Samir, said Hamas security men
appeared to fire unprovoked. "I saw brutality. I saw gunmen shoot at people. I saw them catch a boy and beat him with a stick, he said."

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' office denounced Hamas' actions as a "heinous crime."

The moderate Abbas has been harnessing Arafat commemorations, stretched out over three days, to build up support for relaunching peace talks with Israel at a U.S.-hosted Mideast conference later this month.

Hamas, which opposes a peace deal with Israel, says Abbas does not have a mandate to negotiate, and some in the Islamic militant movement have denounced him as a traitor.

However, Hamas has also tried to co-opt former rival Arafat since his Nov. 11, 2004 death, by portraying him as closer to its hardline ideology. "We honor and respect Yasser Arafat because he ... refused to give up the rights of our people in this holy land," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Monday.

On Sunday, Hamas seized a West Bank shipment of thousands of Fatah posters, scarves and baseball caps after it reached Gaza, Fatah officials said. Hamas radio said Monday the items were returned to Fatah.

Large numbers of Hamas police, some in riot gear, took up positions Monday at key intersections, outside government ministries and near parliament. Fatah activists were decorating streets with yellow Fatah flags and Arafat posters. Hamas police didn't intervene, but wrote down license plates of some cars flying Fatah flags.

Hazem Abu Shanab, a Fatah spokesman, said activists were told to avoid confrontations with Hamas forces. He said armed men would not be allowed to take part.

Fayad vows to crack down on outlaws in W. Bank city of Nablus

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad vowed Sunday to hunt down outlaws in the restive West Bank city of Nablus as part of a Western-backed push to revive peacemaking with Israel.

Fayad, appointed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas after rival Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip in June, said security forces had made arrests in the city, a frequent flashpoint between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants.

"We have begun arresting symbols of chaos, known to the people of Nablus, and the arrests will continue until we get the last one of them," Fayad told reporters in Ramallah.

Abbas dismissed a Hamas-led government after the Islamist group took over Gaza in a brief civil war and appointed Fayad to lead an administration in the West Bank where his Fatah party remains dominant.

Since the start of the month, hundreds of Palestinian security officers have deployed in Nablus in what is planned as the first stage of a campaign to improve law and order ahead of a U.S-sponsored peace conference with Israel.

Israel has said it will not implement any peace deals until Palestinians meet their commitments to crack down on militants.

Last week Israel approved the deployment of more than 300 members of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Nablus to provide a major boost to its weak police force.

"This is the new concept of security in order to impose the rule of law. It was not a coincidence that we started the deployment of security forces in Nablus, we started with Nablus because it is the most difficult," Fayad said.

The Palestinian leader said frequent raids by Israeli troops into the city have weakened his efforts to impose law and order.

Israel has said if the deployment of Palestinian forces in Nablus proves successful it could be expanded to other West Bank towns.

A report assessing the first 120 days of Fayad's administration, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, said the government has started "collecting illegal arms and dissolving militias".

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      1.   i vow to kiss fayad`s behind 00:25  |  vik 12/11/07
      2.   Fayad vows - pink pigs flying 00:52  |  Strangelove 12/11/07
      3.   Another pal story-teller embraced by dumb Israelis 01:59  |  Absolute Sweden 12/11/07
      4.   Can Fayad carry out his promise? 03:07  |  Dan Chazan 12/11/07
      5.   Can Fayad carry out his promise? 03:14  |  Dan Chazan 12/11/07
      6.   palestinian miaery 04:00  |  real vision 12/11/07
      7.   I have read nothing about the trials or sentencing of the 08:00  |  redmike 12/11/07
      8.   Fayad should not vow, he should see to it, implement, the 08:44  |  Haim Israel 12/11/07
      9.   Cosmetic promises 09:31  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/11/07
      10.   So far the PA is not fully able to govern Ramallah. How can 09:42  |  Roger 12/11/07
      11.   What their attitude means to Pal in the street 09:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/11/07
      12.   Israel was genuinely afraid of Arafat 11:20  |  Natallie Durson 12/11/07
      13.   Recent poll shows Fayyad at an all time low 2% 12:36  |  lakshmi 12/11/07
      14.   ISRAELIS AGENTS ARE EVERYWHERE 12:50  |  indrajaya 12/11/07
      15.   FATAH WAS A STORY FROM THE PAST 13:22  |  indrajaya 12/11/07
      16.   Lakshmi....time to grow up 14:26  |  Lynn 12/11/07
      17.   This is how they communicate with one another, they shoot to kill 14:27  |  Anat 12/11/07
      18.   Haaretz swooned by Hamas..calls them "troops" and "naval officers 14:29  |  SLAVO 12/11/07
      19.   Hamas-Fatah, killing from killers, as usual......... 14:36  |  maurice 12/11/07
      20.   And the int;`l outcry is where? 14:41  |  David Teich 12/11/07
      21.   what has dorid cadigan got to say about this 15:02  |  victor hardman 12/11/07
      22.   Memo to Levy and Haas - Grab a Clue Morons 15:09  |  Klaudia 12/11/07
      23.   Iran-Hamas murders Palestinians. Israel unite for justice 15:10  |  Daniel 12/11/07
      24.   truth 15:12  |  Max 12/11/07
      25.   Arafat legacy , death and destruction...nice. 15:20  |  Gabriel 12/11/07
      26.   The moderate Abbas 15:20  |  larry 12/11/07
      27.   dissolving malitias? or the requirement to disolve them 15:27  |  Avi 12/11/07
      28.   Israeli Agents Take Over Indrajaya 15:34  |  Greg 12/11/07
      29.   arafat 15:46  |  stu 12/11/07
      30.   The Ingenuity of Gnattalie 15:48  |  Tex 12/11/07
      31.   Where is the truth....??? 15:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/11/07
      32.   Where is Tibi? 15:50  |  Amos 12/11/07
      33.   "Democracy"`s finest - look at what Hamas does! 15:51  |  Richard S 12/11/07
      34.   Honoring the Dead ( Arafat )... With MORE Death 15:53  |  Klaudia 12/11/07
      35.   rally 15:58  |  colin 12/11/07
      36.   absolute sweden 15:58  |  eva 12/11/07
      37.   Hey Israel Bashers 16:01  |  Jason, Ph.D. 12/11/07
      38.   our strategic objective is peace,said abbas 16:09  |  scanadu 12/11/07
      39.   to#28 stu, Excellent !! 16:11  |  maurice 12/11/07
      40.   indrajaya #15 16:12  |  scanadu 12/11/07
      41.   Olmert wake up .. 16:12  |  Akram Zekaria 12/11/07
      42.   # 31 Swiss 16:13  |  Lynn 12/11/07
      43.   Memo to : Hopeless Haas and Lamebrain Levy 16:26  |  Leftist 12/11/07
      44.   329 FUNNY, GREAT LINE!! 16:27  |  Petra 12/11/07
      45.   TEX You"re great!!!!! 16:29  |  Petra 12/11/07
      46.   Horrible MASSACRE in Gaza, isn`t it Mr. Erekat ? 16:32  |  maurice 12/11/07
      47.   SO, THAT`S WHAT`S WRONG WITH INDY. LOL 16:32  |  Petra 12/11/07
      48.   # 31 Swiss 16:33  |  Lynn 12/11/07
      49.   #40 PERHAPS YOU AND INDRAJAYA CAN GET A ROOM? 16:33  |  Petra 12/11/07
      50.   INDY like Hamas....... 16:34  |  Lynn 12/11/07
      51.   AND NOW "VICTIMS OF PEACE" ON THE PALESTINIAN SIDE)))) 16:36  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 12/11/07
      52.   HAMAS : REOCCUPY GAZA, DON`T LET 16:42  |  VOICEOFTHEMOLLAH:))) 12/11/07
      53.   They don`t even respect memorial ceremonies(end) 16:56  |  KUTW 12/11/07
      54.   # 42/# 48 Lynn 16:57  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/11/07
      55.   Indrajaya you must be a good muslem 16:58  |  Victor_The_Egyptian 12/11/07
      56.   even after his death arafat incites hate 17:10  |  scallywag 12/11/07
      57.   100,000? lol 17:13  |  mike 12/11/07
      58.   12Natalie D. arafat signing the Oslo was an acknowledgment of 17:14  |  lakshmi 12/11/07
      59.   12Natalie D. arafat signing the Oslo was an acknowledgment of 17:15  |  lakshmi 12/11/07
      60.   Lynn, question.... 17:17  |  Tess 12/11/07
      61.   Abbas is a wannabe 17:21  |  B 12/11/07
      62.   # 12 natalie. oh oh natalie tres jolie. 17:23  |  Stephen. 12/11/07
      63.   Some defense.... 17:30  |  Tess 12/11/07
      64.   It is a lie!!! Arabs were making love ,not war 17:31  |  TOMY 12/11/07
      65.   #58 lakshmi - as a Goddess U must tell truth 17:33  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/07
      66.   Palestinian`s were confused 17:35  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/07
      67.   The palis should get a state immideatly 17:36  |  TOMY 12/11/07
      68.   Jason 17:37  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/11/07
      69.   Is Israel supposed to have peace with these people? 17:41  |  Benjamina 12/11/07
      70.   indrajaya,lokshmock and others like them 17:43  |  TOMY 12/11/07
      71.   But lets get serious,there is not a single civilized 17:49  |  TOMY 12/11/07
      72.   thugs 17:52  |  US PAL 12/11/07
      73.   #17 Anat you are wrong, this are the prayer 17:54  |  TOMY 12/11/07
      74.   Lakshmi # 5 17:56  |  ChanahS 12/11/07
      75.   TO NATALIE DURSON 100% CORRECT. 17:58  |  Gabriel 12/11/07
      76.   Good Point, Margie :) 17:59  |  Jason, Ph.D. 12/11/07
      77.   ANIMALS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE ZOO 18:02  |  V.Ildehayaz 12/11/07
      78.