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Five killed as violence erupts at Fatah rally in Gaza Strip
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies
Tags: Gaza Strip, Fatah, Hamas

Five Palestinians were killed after nightfall on Monday as anniversary celebrations for the Fatah movement turned violent in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.

Medical officials said one of the dead was a Hamas police officer, another was a teenager and a third was a Fatah supporter. About 30 people were wounded, they said.

Fatah marks the anniversary of its founding on January 1, but Hamas banned Fatah marches. All over Gaza, Fatah backers fired rifles in the air and set off fireworks.
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These were the first fatalities in Fatah-Hamas fighting since November 11, when Hamas forces opened fire on a huge Fatah rally, killing eight and wounding about 85.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged Hamas Islamists on Monday to agree to early elections and to open a "new page" by ceding control of the Gaza Strip and holding reconciliation talks with his Fatah faction.

Reviving talk of early Palestinian elections for the first time in several months, Abbas said in a speech to mark the anniversary of the founding of Fatah that any vote should be held in agreement with his Hamas rivals.

"I renew the option of early elections ... and I pledge that I will do my best to ensure this election will be the product of a deep and brotherly understanding," Abbas said.

"I urge all, Fatah and Hamas movements and all other Palestinian factions, to study this alternative and not to rush, as usual, to reject it."

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June, prompting Abbas to sack a Hamas-led unity government and appoint a Fatah-backed administration in the West Bank. The rift helped pave the way for U.S.-backed talks with Israel.

Abbas said after Hamas's Gaza takeover he wanted to call early elections. But it has been several months since he talked publicly about holding a ballot although his aides have raised the possibility of snap parliamentary and presidential polls.

Hamas, which won a Palestinian parliamentary vote in 2006, opposes holding elections before they are due in 2010, saying it would be unconstitutional.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum rejected Abbas' speech."It is full of incitement and words calling for divisions," he said. "There is no new initiative or practical step in this speech that can pave the road to start an immediate dialogue."

Barhoum said earlier Monday that the Islamist group was ready for dialogue with Fatah but would not accept Abbas's demand it first give up control of the coastal enclave.

"Abbas is betting on the American-Zionist project and not on dialogue with Hamas," Barhoum told a news conference in Gaza. "We renew our readiness and willingness to restore dialogue with Fatah without conditions."

PA minister: Abbas' forces foil Hamas suicide attack plot
Palestinian security forces loyal to Abbas have arrested Hamas militants who were plotting a suicide bombing, the Palestinian foreign and information minister said on Monday.

Riyad al-Malki told a news conference Palestinian security forces had arrested members of the Islamist group, but did not say whether the attack was planned for Israel or the West Bank or how many people had been arrested.

The announcement came a day after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out
relaxing Israel's grip on the West Bank until the Palestinians rein in militants.

Israel frequently says it has thwarted suicide bombings but it is rare for the Palestinians to make such an announcement.

Malki declined to say when the arrests took place but said security forces found a confessional video recorded by the would-be bombers. He also said officers had found mercury, which could be used to make explosive devices, in Nablus.

Hamas spokesman Barhoum declined to comment on whether its members were arrested, but said: "We support any act of resistance against the Israeli occupation but we will not be surprised if the government ... fabricates charges to pursue their arrest campaign against Hamas and other factions of resistance."

Abbas's government has deployed hundreds of security officers in West Bank towns in recent weeks as part of a Western-backed drive to crack down on gunmen and gangsters.

Israel Police and the Israel Defense Forces said they had not heard about any attacks that had been prevented by Abbas's forces.

Also Monday, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket and 14 mortar shells at the western Negev.

Gaza journalists warned not to cover Fatah anniversary events
Several Gaza journalists received anonymous overnight phone calls warning them not to cover upcoming events planned by the Fatah movement, fueling fears that the territory's Islamic Hamas rulers were trying to quash coverage of their rivals.

Reporters for at least five local and foreign news outlets received calls late Sunday and early Monday warning them to stay away from events planned by Fatah to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the veteran Palestinian movement's establishment.

The reporters asked that their names be withheld because they feared retribution from Hamas, which seized power in Gaza in June after routing Fatah fighters loyal to the moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

A Fatah rally scheduled for Tuesday has been banned by Hamas, which repeatedly has cracked down on Fatah activists and harassed journalists covering pro-Fatah events since the Gaza takeover.

In an official statement, the Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza said it supported freedom of the press and blamed Fatah for the calls, saying Fatah leaders in the West Bank were trying to embarrass the Islamic group.

Ibrahim Abu Al-Naja, one of Gaza's most prominent remaining Fatah leaders, said the movement would not hold a major rally Tuesday, and would make do with smaller gestures like setting off fireworks and lighting candles in the windows of pro-Fatah homes.

Some 70 Fatah activists were arrested or went underground over the past few days, Fatah officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they feared arrest. Hamas denied those charges, saying no political arrests had been made.

Hamas police raided Fatah's central office in Gaza City and seized posters, flags and computer hard disks, Fatah leader Ahmad Hillas said at a press conference Monday.

"I want to say clearly and honestly: No one, no power will prevent us or stop us from commemorating this anniversary," Hillas said.


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      1.   Freedom of Speech Hamas Style 13:59  |  JG 31/12/07
      2.   #1 14:48  |  inquiring minds 31/12/07
      3.   Note, this is Hamastan in which freedom of the press is 15:04  |  Anat 31/12/07
      4.   HAMAS The LESSON & The Fiasco: Has The Lesson Been LEARNED? 15:20  |  Proud Pal Defender 31/12/07
      5.   To Proud Pal Defender 15:42  |  AnotherPali 31/12/07
      6.   Abbas should paint his face and wear a pointy clown cap 16:26  |  Natallie Durson 31/12/07
      7.   AnotherPali 17:02  |  Arab 31/12/07
      8.   #2 Does Hamas= Israel 17:23  |  H 31/12/07
      9.   Could he be that Stupid 17:46  |  Aaron 31/12/07
      10.   Natalie must be ...correct 18:17  |  real vision 31/12/07
      11.   The occupation is evil, but time for armed resistance is over 18:24  |  anti-racist 31/12/07
      12.   #1,8 When have Jornalists inIsrael threatened not to cover event? 18:35  |  I 31/12/07
      13.   Give El-Malki his year end bonus 18:39  |  El-Birawi 31/12/07
      14.   and abbas for zion always tells the truth right? 18:39  |  sure he does 31/12/07
      15.   tit for tat 18:52  |  Gaza citizen 31/12/07
      16.   # 6 Natallie Durson, Youare correct about Abbas` credibilty..... 19:03  |  Max Zinger.P.Chimist 31/12/07
      17.   Natalie 19:31  |  PlanoStu 31/12/07
      18.   Riyadh Maliki is a liar & a collaborator who called at the UN for 19:40  |  lakshmi 31/12/07
      19.   #5 A. Pali.--Progress/Peace FIRST! ...Unity LATER/If Possible. 19:55  |  Proud Pal Defender 31/12/07
      20.   SOLUTION: Hamas, Etc. In Gaza And Fatah In The West Bank. 20:09  |  Proud Pal Defender 31/12/07
      21.   and if Hamas wins again? Do you think we are fools Abbas? 20:21  |  Ventura 31/12/07
      22.   #17 Plano--LOL At Corruption: Try ISRAELI Officials/Certain JEWS! 20:32  |  Proud Pal Defender 31/12/07
      23.   # 15 Gaza Citizen,"tit for tat and none is better than the other" 20:33  |  Max the Horoscope 31/12/07
      24.   Arab of E Jerusalem 20:34  |  Lynn 31/12/07
      25.   #17 PlanoStu 20:39  |  Labhras 31/12/07
      26.   lakshmi...Abbas WON in a fair election 20:40  |  Lynn 31/12/07
      27.   # 18 lakshmi...one moment in time I loved 20:44  |  Lynn 31/12/07
      28.   # 15 Gaza on tit for tat 20:47  |  Lynn 31/12/07
      29.   Hamas and the pot of EU/USA gold 21:00  |  dav zee 31/12/07
      30.   #21 Vent--ISRAEL`S Actions Are One Of The MAIN REASONS For This! 21:07  |  Proud Pal Defender 31/12/07
      31.   Abbas`s democratic plan for Gaza 21:22  |  Clickfool 31/12/07
      32.   Isolation 21:34  |  emad matahin 31/12/07
      33.   #28 L--NOTHING MORE STUPID Than To See ISRAEL/JEWS Prevent Peace! 21:35  |  Proud Pal Defender 31/12/07
      34.   For Lynn, on Fayyad # 26 21:39  |  Clickfool 31/12/07
      35.   Durson 22:16  |  leo 31/12/07
      36.   Israel just saved five bullets! Thanks guys! 22:17  |  Tom Daley 31/12/07
      37.   #25 Labhras - It`s not the money dah! 22:21  |  GPS 31/12/07
      38.   Dutch help - Hamas is perpetrating a slow genocide... 22:22  |  William 31/12/07
      39.   #2 - a funny question 22:23  |  William 31/12/07
      40.   A New Year present 22:30  |  Yossi 31/12/07
      41.   nutallie,is it hamas that has their hand up your backside,moving 22:32  |  terrornator 31/12/07
      42.   Arabs doing what they know best:kill 22:35  |  31/12/07
      43.   Palestinian national sport-killing 22:38  |  gino 31/12/07
      44.   Fatah-Hamas clashes 22:44  |  George Jochnowitz 31/12/07
      45.   27 Lynn,the fact that you enjoy the vile siege of Gaza and your 22:46  |  lakshmi 31/12/07
      46.   Arab in East Jerusalem 22:58  |  rich 31/12/07
      47.   Natallie you could join Abbas as a clown 22:59  |  Tom Daley 31/12/07
      48.   Where`s POP, Dutch, and Sweden to defend their Pals 23:01  |  Yonatan 31/12/07
      49.   Hey muslim...please actualize your statistics with these 5 23:04  |  Alain 31/12/07
      50.   Read this on Mahmoud Abbas 23:08  |  Fortuna Benmayor 31/12/07
      51.   Palestinians doing what they do best 23:29  |  Maurice 31/12/07
      52.   Arabs can not live in peace 23:39  |  Levi 31/12/07
      53.   When I forget our Anniversary-my wife is usually happy with Roses 23:44  |  Alan 31/12/07
      54.   George Jochnowitz 23:51  |  Arab 31/12/07
      55.   #6 Natalie and #16 23:54  |  Marc 31/12/07
      56.   Still killing each other.. 23:56  |  Nemesis 31/12/07
      57.   #17 23:58  |  Marc 31/12/07
      58.   #22 00:04  |  Marc 01/01/08
      59.   Where is POP, Dutch, and Sweden to defend their Pals? 00:06  |  Yonatan 01/01/08
      60.   37. minor differences 00:10  |  muslim 01/01/08
      61.   38. to the levite liar 00:12  |  muslim 01/01/08
      62.   Israel is to blame for dividing the Palestinian groups. 00:15  |  Dutch 01/01/08
      63.   Inquiring minds # 2 00:17  |  Avrum 01/01/08
      64.   Peace process needed 00:19  |  Frank 01/01/08
      65.   It is with great sadness I report POOP Fool Nazillie Duct are MIA 00:30  |  Dan 01/01/08
      66.   MAY 2008 BRING PEACE 00:32  |  jjvanka 01/01/08
      67.   # 6 Fatmeh/idiot, who cares..... 00:33  |  Misha 01/01/08
      68.   Inquiring Idiot 00:39  |  Tex 01/01/08
      69.   Hamas and Fatah fightin` each other - I love it! 00:53  |  Conroy 01/01/08
      70.   Hamas needs to be wiped out if Pals are going to go Forward 01:21  |  Kipperraes 01/01/08
      71.   Tomorrows Headline - NEW YEARS DAY MASSACRE 01:21  |  Ariel 01/01/08
      72.   THE WORLD DOESN`T CARE...Go ahead kill each other 01:28  |  REAL VISION 01/01/08
      73.   Its what the pals do 11:00  |  Adrian de Klerk 01/01/08
      74.   #45 Lakshmi - It`s not a siege, it`s containment 02:58  |  * BEN JABO 02/01/08
      75.   #61 Mooselem - I see you put yourself 03:00  |  * BEN JABO 02/01/08
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