New Hamas-Fatah ceasefire tentatively holds
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Staff and agencies
Wednesday December 20, 2006
Guardian Unlimited
Rival forces loyal to Hamas and Fatah withdrew from the streets of Gaza City today as a new Palestinian ceasefire tentatively held.
The ceasefire followed the deaths of 10 people in fierce fighting since the weekend.
Simmering tensions erupted when the Palestinian president, Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas, called for new elections to end a political deadlock with the Hamas government.
Tony Blair strongly backed his stance during talks in the West Bank on Monday, but Hamas says the call for elections amounts to a coup by Mr Abbas.
The violence - the worst between Palestinian factions in a decade - has threatened to escalate into civil conflict.
In a video message broadcast today, the deputy leader of al-Qaida rejected the call for new elections and called for holy war.
"Any way other than holy war will lead us only to loss and defeat," Ayman al-Zawahri said in the video, broadcast by the al-Jazeera television channel.
"Those who are trying to liberate the Islamic territories through elections based on secular constitutions, or on decisions to hand over Palestine to the Jews, will not liberate one grain of sand of Palestine."
Today's Egyptian-brokered ceasefire came 24 hours after a previous truce broke down when heavily armed Fatah and Hamas forces exchanged gunfire on the streets of Gaza.
Two Fatah fighters injured in yesterday's violence have died from their wounds, family members said.
Fatah immediately accused Hamas of violating the latest truce. "Unless Hamas stops its violations, the second agreement ... could be in danger," Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, a Fatah spokesman, said.
The Palestinian crisis developed after the more radical Hamas, which both the EU and US consider to be a terrorist group, won elections in January.
In the face of an economic boycott of the Palestinian Authority by Israel and the west, Fatah has attempted to establish a coalition government with Hamas.
However, talks repeatedly broke down before Mr Abbas threatened early elections. According to a senior aide to the Palestinian president, he plans to issue a decree next week to lay the legal foundations for a new ballot.
Last night, the Palestinian prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, accused the US of trying to bring down the Hamas government.
"There was a direct decision to bring down this government and make it collapse, and the Americans are behind this policy," he said in a speech on Palestinian television.
Yesterday, King Abdullah II of Jordan said he was prepared to host discussions between Fatah and Hamas leaders following a surprise visit to Amman by the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
In a separate incident yesterday, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl was shot by Israeli troops near the West Bank barrier in the town of Tulkarem.
The Israeli military expressed regret over the incident, saying a platoon commander and a soldier had been suspended until an investigation was completed.
---
Staff and agencies
Wednesday December 20, 2006
Guardian Unlimited
Rival forces loyal to Hamas and Fatah withdrew from the streets of Gaza City today as a new Palestinian ceasefire tentatively held.
The ceasefire followed the deaths of 10 people in fierce fighting since the weekend.
Simmering tensions erupted when the Palestinian president, Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas, called for new elections to end a political deadlock with the Hamas government.
Tony Blair strongly backed his stance during talks in the West Bank on Monday, but Hamas says the call for elections amounts to a coup by Mr Abbas.
The violence - the worst between Palestinian factions in a decade - has threatened to escalate into civil conflict.
In a video message broadcast today, the deputy leader of al-Qaida rejected the call for new elections and called for holy war.
"Any way other than holy war will lead us only to loss and defeat," Ayman al-Zawahri said in the video, broadcast by the al-Jazeera television channel.
"Those who are trying to liberate the Islamic territories through elections based on secular constitutions, or on decisions to hand over Palestine to the Jews, will not liberate one grain of sand of Palestine."
Today's Egyptian-brokered ceasefire came 24 hours after a previous truce broke down when heavily armed Fatah and Hamas forces exchanged gunfire on the streets of Gaza.
Two Fatah fighters injured in yesterday's violence have died from their wounds, family members said.
Fatah immediately accused Hamas of violating the latest truce. "Unless Hamas stops its violations, the second agreement ... could be in danger," Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, a Fatah spokesman, said.
The Palestinian crisis developed after the more radical Hamas, which both the EU and US consider to be a terrorist group, won elections in January.
In the face of an economic boycott of the Palestinian Authority by Israel and the west, Fatah has attempted to establish a coalition government with Hamas.
However, talks repeatedly broke down before Mr Abbas threatened early elections. According to a senior aide to the Palestinian president, he plans to issue a decree next week to lay the legal foundations for a new ballot.
Last night, the Palestinian prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, accused the US of trying to bring down the Hamas government.
"There was a direct decision to bring down this government and make it collapse, and the Americans are behind this policy," he said in a speech on Palestinian television.
Yesterday, King Abdullah II of Jordan said he was prepared to host discussions between Fatah and Hamas leaders following a surprise visit to Amman by the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
In a separate incident yesterday, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl was shot by Israeli troops near the West Bank barrier in the town of Tulkarem.
The Israeli military expressed regret over the incident, saying a platoon commander and a soldier had been suspended until an investigation was completed.
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