Gunman Shoots at Palestinian PM's Entourage as Hamas-Fatah Violence Escalates
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas and Fatah gunmen clashed at a West Bank mosque and on Gaza Strip streets on Friday, deepening factional violence a day after gunmen shot at the convoy of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.
The street battles came as Hamas accused a powerful Fatah leader of orchestrating the attack on Haniyeh — and a powerful Hamas politician called for the Fatah strongman's assassination. Leaders of both groups warned in recent days that the spiraling violence threatened to bring the Palestinians to civil war ...
Huge crowds back Hamas chief after attack
GAZA CITY, Gaza (CNN) -- Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters took to the streets Friday, the day after their leader -- Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya -- survived an alleged assassination attempt.
Hamas officials blamed the former ruling party Fatah for the attack on Haniya -- the latest sign of the worsening power struggle between the Palestinians' two major political movements.
Tensions boiled over into fighting in both Gaza and the West Bank on Friday. Medical sources said 38 people were hurt in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
In Gaza City, masked gunman loyal to Hamas fought police allied to the Fatah party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, The Associated Press reported. ...
Hamas: Fatah has declared war on Allah
Allahpundit
And you know what happens to people who do that.
Chairman of the Hamas faction in parliament Khalil al-Haya, told a crowd of tens of thousands at a Hamas rally in Gaza Friday that “(Palestinian President Mahmoud) Abbas has declared war on Allah and on the will of the Palestinian people.”…
Al-Haya … referred to Abbas’ anticipated speech Saturday: “We will fight with force for the voter’s choice against those who want to bring about a coup.”
Abbas’ speech has caused much turmoil in the PA, as the president is expected to announce the dismissal of the government, and holding a referendum or early elections.
It’s not just the speech. Pali PM Ismail Haniyeh nearly got whacked while crossing over from Egypt into Gaza last night after his Hamas guards exchanged fire with the Fatah border patrol. Israel had refused to readmit him because he was carrying more than $30 million in cash; his coterie got impatient and stormed the checkpoint, leading to a “ferocious battle” with the Fatah guard. Eventually he was allowed to pass and as his convoy sped away, the Fatah contingent raked it with gunfire. One of his bodyguards was killed and his son was wounded. Hamas claimed later that Mohammed Dahlan, a top Pali official who was present at the crossing, had planned the hit and promised to “even the score.” For the time being, though, they want Abbas to pull Fatah’s border guards out of the checkpoint, which would make it easier to smuggle money into Gaza.
As for the $30 mil, it was left in Egypt. But its significance won’t be lost on the Saudis, who are surely factoring Iran’s growing influence in Gaza into their assessments about the Shiite threat from Iraq. ...
