GAZA CITY, 23 April 2006 — Relations between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas reached crisis point yesterday with their supporters clashing in the Gaza Strip after Hamas accused the president’s party of selling out to Israel.
Fifteen people were wounded after gunmen from the ruling Hamas and its Fatah rivals battled each other with bullets, hand grenades and firebombs in Gaza City as senior officials from the two groups met urgently to try to bridge a rift that threatens President Mahmoud Abbas’ efforts to keep the West from shunning the Palestinians over Hamas’ violently anti-Israel ideology.
The clashes in Gaza — and mass Fatah protests across the West Bank — broke out after Hamas political chief, Khaled Meshaal, accused Abbas of “plotting” against his group by vetoing its plan to create a security force made up of Palestinian fighters. “We can understand that Israel and America are persecuting us, and seeking ways to besiege and starve us, but what about the sons of our people who are plotting against us, who are following a studied plan to make us fail,” Meshaal said late Friday from his base in Syria.
Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, its main decision-making body, promptly issued a statement accusing Meshaal of “igniting and preparing for civil war.” And throughout yesterday, Fatah loyalists took to the streets, protesting Meshaal’s remarks and demanding an apology.
Abbas called “dangerous and surprising” Jordan’s discovery of a cache of weapons attributed to Hamas. “The information I received from Jordan’s prime minister and intelligence chief is dangerous and surprising at the same time,” Abbas told reporters after meeting Jordan’s Prime Minister Maarouf Bakhit.
A high-level Palestinian political and security delegation would visit Jordan to study the affair “which has serious repercussions for the security and stability of Jordan,” Abbas said.
— Additional input from Associated Press
