Ten killed as Hamas forces seize Fatah HQ in northern Gaza Strip

[oberliner]

At least 10 people were killed and dozens wounded as Hamas captured the headquarters of the Fatah-allied security forces in northern Gaza on Tuesday, seizing a key prize in the bloody battle for control of Gaza.

Six Hamas men were killed in Tuesday in northern Gaza, and nine other Palestinians were killed throughout the day, bringing Tuesday's death toll to 25. Since the latest round of violence broke out Monday, 36 Palestinians have been killed.

About 200 Hamas gunmen surrounded the compound, where some 500 Fatah fighters were holed up. Hamas fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades at the building.


A Fatah man who survived the assault on the northern security said the Fatah forces were outgunned and that reinforcements never arrived. "We were pounded with mortar, mortar, mortar," said the gunman, who only gave his first name, Amjad. "They had no mercy. It was boom, boom. They had rockets that could reach almost half of the compound."

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/870095.html

[barb162]

1. More worrisome news, as if the above isn't bad enough

snip
"Hamas has declared war on Fatah and the Palestinian Authority," said one official. "The rules of the game have changed and we will have to act in accordance with the new threat."

Another PA official expressed deep concern over Hamas's success in taking control of several Palestinian security installations. He revealed that Hamas managed to lay its hands on large amounts of weapons belonging to the Fatah-controlled security forces in many parts of the Gaza Strip.

"They have seized thousands of rifles, large amounts of ammunition and dozens of vehicles, including armored jeeps," he said. "This is really bad news for all."

snip
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1181570255159&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[bemildred]

2. Dang! Who could have predicted this? nt

[bemildred]

3. Fatah ministers to suspend participation in unity gov't until violence ends

Fatah ministers will suspend participation in unity government with Hamas until fighting stops, the Fatah Central Committee decided in an emergency meeting Tuesday, after two days of violence that left at least 36 people dead and dozens wounded.

The decision does not constitute a final withdrawal from the coalition but means the Fatah ministers will suspend their government activities until a cease-fire is reached, said Fatah spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh.

---

Barghouti blamed the Gaza violence on the international boycott on the Palestinian government, imposed in the wake of the Hamas election victory.

"If we did not have this embargo, the whole situation would have been much better," he said.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/870165.html

[sabbat hunter]

4. civil war

can we officially call it a civil war between hamas and fatah now?

the only losers in this are the civilians caught in between the two groups.

[Igel]

5. A few years ago I believed that the Palestinians would

have to have a civil war to sort out all the competing claims on the future. Until there's some unity as to goals, and until the goals are reasonable, you won't have peace.

I wasn't sure who would win the civil war. However, the Islamists weren't a huge faction at the time, so I was fairly they'd be bit-players, and their losing was mostly a foregone conclusion, if they even bothered to play.

This is not the civil war I pictured. Gotta hand it to the Islamists, though: Either they're in charge, or they create hell in the service of Satan, all the while glorying in the death and misery they bring in the name of their foul-smelling godling. Truly, they are Nietscheans in the worst possible sense of the word.

[pelsar]

6. i believe the "civil war"....was understood to be inevitable

If i recall there was always the realization that without a strong central power, the palestenians dont have a chance to build a successful society. And given the armed groups and their "intensity and ideologies"...it seemed the options were limited.

The options dont look so good, a strong central hamas (iran? taliban) hardly speaks for a pleasant future for either the inhabitants on gaza or its neighbors. I cant imagine Egpt opening their border to them nor shall israel.

_______

but now comes the interesting part...whats a progressive to do?.....sit on the sidelines and since its "arab on arab violence (lebanon refugee camps?) and just forget about it. Though it does sound rather hypocritical given all the noise about "human rights" when israel was the occupier. One can protest and suggest an intl force to enter to stop the violence, but that sure sounds like an occupier....

ISM is rather quiet about the situation....i believe they were proud of the actions against israel in gaza.....but then i was told by an ISM that what comes after the occupation is "none of their business".

[Zandor]

10. The make up of the force can be important

An international force, including troops from Arab states, would likely draw less resentment and fuel less resistance than Israel as the "occupier". This would probably be more conducive to building a more peaceful society. Of course, how feasible that is, is something else again.

My question - who would resist an international force, Israel or the U.N.? Based on my understanding, Israel would reject such an arrangement.

[rayofreason]

7. Fatah is done for in Gaza

I'd wager that in 24 hours there will not be a single thing in Gaza controlled by Fatah - Hamas will have run them out. And it won't settle a thing.

[Shaktimaan]

8. new plan...

3 states! Gaza, West Bank and Israel. Hamas & IJ can have Gaza, the PLO can have WB. And it solves the issue of a Palestine hewn into two parts also!

Just look at how great Pakistan and Bangladesh are doing. It's a cinch.

Who's with me!?

[pelsar]

9. hard to argue with the facts on the ground....

i'm sure the westbankers, who are mainly fatah and secular might very well be with you.....(do you think they want the israelis to leave just now?)