International   

Fatah tightens grip on West Bank

Atul Aneja

Abbas to swear in new Government; Haniyeh vows to continue as "Premier"

DUBAI: The lines of division between the Palestinian factions have sharpened with the Fatah tightening its grip over the West Bank after Hamas fighters overran Gaza.

Fatah fighters attacked the Parliament building in Ramallah early on Saturday. Deputy Speaker Hassan Khuraishah, known for his sympathies for Hamas, narrowly escaped abduction. Fatah gunmen, loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas then ransacked several offices linked to Hamas, including charities, a school, television and radio stations. Hamas has a majority in Parliament, but most of the lawmakers have gone "underground" after tensions between the two groups peaked recently.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abbas, who has sacked Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, is set to form a new Government by Sunday. Salam Fayyad, a former World Bank economist, is slated to become the new Prime Minister. Mr. Haniyeh of the Hamas, however, has called his dismissal illegal. He has pledged to remain in office and operate from Gaza.

With the exit of the Hamas from the Government a certainty, the United States has pledged to resume direct aid to the proposed new government.

The decision was taken during a meeting held on Saturday between Mr. Abbas and Jacob Wallers, the U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem. The European Union and Israel are also expected to follow the U.S. lead in resuming aid, stalled following the Hamas' thumping victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections held last year.

With Fatah being increasingly drawn into the "Western orbit" of influence, the Hamas, backed by Iran and Syria, was digging in its heals in Gaza. However, with Israel maintaining a stranglehold over all points of entry and exit into Gaza, there were fears that a humanitarian crisis might erupt in Gaza soon.

In a conciliatory move, the Damascus-based Hamas leader, Khaled Meshall, has said at a press conference that he wished to cooperate with Mr. Abbas in the future. "No one questions his [Mr. Abbas'] legitimacy. He is an elected President. We are going to cooperate with him in the national interest," he said. Alarmed by the situation in the Palestinian territories, Arab Foreign Ministers have held talks in Cairo.

They urged both groups to respect the legitimacy of the President as well as of the Hamas-dominated Parliament. The Arab League has recommended talks between Mr. Abbas and Mr. Meshall. Fatah officials said Mr. Abbas has declined the offer. Saudi Arabia, the architect of the Palestinian unity government, which included representatives of Hamas and Fatah, has urged both sides to mend fences urgently.

Saudi condemnation

An editorial in the Saudi daily Arab News described the Hamas' move to overrun Gaza as an act of "political and economic lunacy, because for all its triumphant shouts, a sterile impasse has been created from which there is no painless retreat."

AP reports:

In Gaza, Mr. Haniyeh replaced security commanders loyal to Mr. Abbas and appointed a new command, a spokesman said.

The new security chief will be Maj. Gen. Said Fanouna, who will reorganise the previously Fatah-dominated National Security force.

Earlier, the chief commander of the Palestinian police in the West Bank and Gaza, Kamal Sheikh, had announced that he would not work with Hamas, and called on his officers and soldiers not to obey Mr. Haniyeh's orders. In response, Mr. Haniyeh appointed a new security chief. With Hamas firmly in control, Gaza City's streets largely returned to normal on Saturday.

Outdoor marketplaces were alive, and traffic jams clogged the streets — a dramatic contrast to the fierce street battles seen earlier in the week.

In the West Bank city of Nablus, Fatah gunmen took over the Hamas-controlled city council and planted the Fatah flag on the top of the building.

In Hebron, Fatah gunmen stormed government offices and ordered senior Hamas-linked officials to stay away.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Fatah tightens grip on West Bank
Rajapaksa, Solheim hold talks
U.S. lauds Pakistan role in war against terror
North Korea hints at de-nuclearisation
Hasina forced to defer U.S. trip
Sony apologises to Church
Gains, losses as CITES meet ends
Reprisal attacks continue in Iraq
Barak is Defence Minister
Pranab's visit to boost ties with Singapore, Indonesia

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu