Hamas captures Fatah security HQ !

[genmirajborgza786]

Hamas captures Fatah security HQ
Hamas militants have seized the headquarters of their rival Fatah's Preventive Security force, tightening their control over the Gaza Strip.
Witnesses said Hamas had raised its flags over the compound in Gaza City, amid reports 14 Palestinians, mostly Fatah security workers, were killed.

Gun battles continued elsewhere in Gaza with Hamas targeting Fatah's security and political command centres.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was holding crisis talks with key aides.

Mr Abbas was expected to make a statement later on Thursday.

Sources close to Mr Abbas told the BBC he is deciding whether to dismantle the Palestinian cabinet, thereby ending the three-month-old unity government that was meant to stop the violence.

Gun battles

Hamas is reported to now control almost the entire Gaza Strip, following five days of intense factional fighting in which at least 80 people have been killed.





Hamas militants are targeting Fatah's security and political command centres, following a series of battles on Wednesday in which Hamas made important gains in the north and south.

Fatah denied the Preventative Security force headquarters had fallen, but witnesses said the green flags of Hamas were now flying from the building.

Hamas later demanded that Fatah abandon another key security post, the National Security complex in Gaza City, which came under a barrage of mortar shells overnight.

In other parts of the Gaza Strip, Fatah forces blew up key positions rather than surrender them, according to AP news agency.

Earlier, Hamas issued an ultimatum to Fatah militants in Gaza to lay down their weapons by 1600 GMT on Friday or risk having them taken from them.

Truce conditions

Thursday's fighting came despite a call from Mr Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, for all sides to halt the fighting.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah says that after an aggressive military campaign Hamas feels it has now gained enough ground to call the political shots.


Without a ceasefire and stopping of the fighting I think the situation will collapse in Gaza
Mahmoud Abbas
Palestinian Authority President


The Islamist movement has laid a series of demands on the table which it says Fatah has to agree to if there is to be peace and if the two parties are to continue to govern together.

The conditions include appointing an interior minister responsible for all Palestinian security forces and shared control of Gaza's boundaries and borders.

Mr Abbas is considering these proposals, but it is difficult to see how he or his party are in any position to argue with Hamas, our correspondent says.

Analysts say that if the fighting is not checked, Palestinians could be split into a Fatah-dominated West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

The international community has called for a ceasefire, and Arab League head Amr Moussa said the fighting was destroying the Palestinian cause.


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Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/6751079.stm

Published: 2007/06/14 11:33:18 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Hamas gains ground on Fatah in Gaza battles

By Nidal al-Mughrabi
Reuters
Wednesday, June 13, 2007; 3:29 PM



GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas Islamist fighters gained ground on Wednesday against forces loyal to Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas in battles for control of the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian supremacy struggle he termed "madness."

Many of Gaza's beleaguered 1.5 million inhabitants called the conflict a civil war and Israel served notice their chances of achieving statehood could dim if Hamas emerged victorious over Abbas's Fatah faction, its partner in a unity government.

Chanting "stop the killing," some 1,000 Palestinians marched through Gaza City, only to draw gunfire that killed two of the demonstrators and wounded four. It was not immediately clear who shot at them.

At least 27 people were killed in the latest violence in which Hamas expanded its attacks to the central and southern Gaza Strip and blew up a Fatah security headquarters, seizing its compound.

The day's carnage raised the death toll since the current surge of bloodshed began on Saturday to 75, hospital officials said.

Hamas's armed wing, which had tightened its hold on northern Gaza by seizing a major Fatah security base and control of main roads, said "the coup-seekers" -- a reference to Fatah -- in that area have until Friday evening to hand over their weapons.

Hours later, a Hamas spokesman offered a conditional ceasefire under which the interior minister, a post now held by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, would command all of the Palestinian security services.

"(Egyptian mediators) received the proposal and promised to present it to Abbas. The ball is now in (his) court. Hamas does not set impossible conditions, and if there are serious intentions to resolve the crisis, we will be ready to reciprocate," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman.

GAINING GROUND

Hamas appeared to have the upper hand in the Gaza Strip, its main stronghold, as fighting spread south towards the Egyptian border. Eighty wounded were taken to hospitals. Gun battles also erupted in Gaza City.

Hamas gunmen killed six Fatah men in one clash, members of Abbas's faction said. Five other Fatah members and a Hamas fighter died in battles in the southern town of Khan Younis, medical officials said.

Two Palestinian employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency were killed in separate incidents, and UNRWA said it would temporarily suspend most of its operations in the coastal territory.

In Washington, White House spokesman Tony Snow said the Palestinians "are going to have to sort out their politics and figure out which pathway they want to pursue, the pathway towards two states living peaceably side by side or whether this sort of chaos is going to become a problem."

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, speaking in Jerusalem, said Hamas control of Gaza would raise questions about Israel's "ability to reach agreements with (Abbas) and whether it would be possible to implement them" in the territory.

Addressing reporters in the occupied West Bank, an area largely untouched by internal fighting, Abbas said, "what is happening in Gaza is madness" and repeated a call for a truce.

The Gaza bloodshed has prompted Fatah to say it was suspending participation in the unity government with Hamas without an immediate ceasefire. The government was formed in March under Saudi mediation to try to end infighting and ease Western sanctions.

Abbas's group stopped short of withdrawing outright, a move that could lead to presidential rule by decree and widen a divide between the West Bank, where Fatah is dominant, and Gaza.

(Additional reporting by Mohammed Assadi in Ramallah)

© 2007 Reuters

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/13/AR2007061301549_pf.html

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Gaza residents under fire
Palestinians are staying indoors to avoid the violence on the streets of Gaza. Four Gazans describe what is happening on their doorstep.
MUHAMMAD ABUSHABAN, 21, STUDENT, GAZA CITY


Armed men are on top of the building opposite our house, they are shooting at the al-Saraia military building about 500 metres away from us.

They have been shooting since this morning. Hamas wanted to shoot the armed men inside to make them surrender. They refused, so a terrible amount of gunfire began.

We are listening to the radio and watching TV; both sides are claiming things against the other side.

The streets are completely empty apart from the gunmen.

We have no chance to leave our house, even though this is the second day of my final year university exams.

I have never left Gaza. It's difficult [sound of gunfire], both sides have their military buildings in between civilian houses in the city. The way both sides are shooting [sound of gunfire] is completely wild.

AHMED, 27, BEIT LAHIYA, NORTHERN GAZA


I was studying abroad for two years until I came back last week. People are not the same any more, they look sad and hopeless.

To be honest, here in the north things are calm. It's now a green bloc, all under Hamas control.

Last night a Fatah leader was assassinated in Jabaliya refugee camp. The battle lasted four or five hours, it was a couple of blocks away and we could hear the bullets flying.

So people are thinking: "That's it. He was the last one."

People are blaming the Fatah guy for staying - it was obvious Hamas were targeting the Fatah leadership in the northern areas even though the man himself had good relations with everyone.

I don't think this is a civil war because I don't see civilians involved. I think it's a war between fanatics on both sides.

People don't understand the Palestinian Authority - they are all paralysed and there's no leadership. They can't even protect their own leaders.

FATHI, 50, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY EMPLOYEE, GAZA CITY

I'm not far away from the house of the main Fatah spokesman, Hamas are attacking his house. It started late last night.

I am a member of Fatah. I am not satisfied with the Fatah leadership. Until now they have been calling for calm, but when vicious aggression is going on, you need to fight it.

So many times they have agreed on a ceasefire and Hamas have used it to act on the ground.

The situation is horrible. The picture the media is putting across is that both sides are attacking the other. That's wrong - Hamas are attacking the legitimate security forces.

HAKEEM, 40, TEACHER, AL-MAGHAZI CAMP, CENTRAL GAZA

I'm listening to the news on TV and radio to hear what both sides are saying.

I heard that Hamas has declared central Gaza a military zone. To be frank, I don't know what that means.

Presumably it's directed at the Palestinian Authority. Both sides have their own forces now.

Hamas has taken over the checkpoint two kilometres from the refugee camp where I live. They're trying to take over the area.

The situation is miserable, bad and disappointing.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/talking_point/6745145.stm

Published: 2007/06/12 15:26:31 GMT

© BBC MMVII

 

[Always Neutral]

Very Bad news for the average Palestinians as well as for the country of Palestine as and when formed. Some people in Israel will be celebrating. Hope now Palestine does not devide itself into two seperate states for eg The Islamic State of Palestine Gaza sponsored by Iran and Secular Stateof Palestine West Bank sponsored by the USA, EU, Russia etc with Big Brother Israel in between.

I wonder why OIC is not intervening ?

Regards

 

[Bull]

Why no one is crying about oppression and suppression by these extremists!!!

 

[Ababeel]

Fatah is the main culprit in this game plan, who wants to cripple the powers of HAMAS who came to power with people support. They can not digest that the Palestinians no more support them due to their currupt policies. Moreover Fatah has Moles inside its ranks like Muhammed Dahlan the Israeli-US agent hellbent to damage HAMAS and unity of Palestinians.
People like him in Fatah following the Zionist-US Imperialist lines to isloate HAMAS and rest the power from them.So there will be no wonder if they ask for Israeli or US help to counter HAMAS in this fight.

 

[Adux]

lol1!!21!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[blain2]

Why no one is crying about oppression and suppression by these extremists!!!

We are crying about the killing of the Muslims in this civil war. Not sure why you think we dont care?

 

[Awesome]

Hmmm Hamas are the rightful democratic leaders of Palestine.

The west is not happy with this kind of democracy.

 

[Bull]

We are crying about the killing of the Muslims in this civil war. Not sure why you think we dont care?

I didnt see anybody discussing or criticising it.

 

[Bull]

Hmmm Hamas are the rightful democratic leaders of Palestine.

The west is not happy with this kind of democracy.

2 extremists who have prospered under the cover of conflict now at war with each other. Why? Bcoz one has lost the oppurtunity to prosper.

 

[Awesome]

And coincidentally Fatah is backed by the US and Hamas is hated by the US...

and I don't understand your obsession with what people here want to discuss or not. It's everybody's freewill to discuss whatever they want to. Somethings are more relevant to us than the other.

 

[Bull]

and I don't understand your obsession with what people here want to discuss or not. It's everybody's freewill to discuss whatever they want to. Somethings are more relevant to us than the other.

Obsesssion!!! My obsession arises from the muslim communities' obsession to go up in arms when Isreal does something.

 

[Always Neutral]

Hmmm Hamas are the rightful democratic leaders of Palestine.

The west is not happy with this kind of democracy.

Dear Asim,

They may have been democratically agreed but the shocking images on how they are mindlessly firing on civilians, executing Fatah members, burning and pillaging office etc all with their faces covered with black masks as seen on Al Jazeera today makes even the most dangerous yob, druggie in London look like an angel.

This to not against an invading force like Israel, US etc but against their own brothers, sisters etc.

Israel must be laughing to the bank for having split the yet to born Palestine country into two.

Al Jazeera in a discussion panel of leading arabic figures in which the Chief PLO spokesman S Erakat was present now talk of things like Republic of Ghazaistan for the Hamas area.

Very sad day for the ordinary Palestine People.

Regards

 

[thorosius]

Bush starts his speech with the word democracy and ends it with the same word. When people he calls terrorists, decide to take part in an election and the result is they are winners, Bush suspends their aid. In other words Bush wants his type of democracy. Appears like its a stretegy of Disarm and Kill.