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Fragile ceasefire in Gaza
18/12/2006 08:17 - (SA)
Gaza - A ceasefire took tentative hold on
Monday between Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah after days of
heavy fighting pushed the Gaza Strip to the brink of civil war.
It was unclear whether the fragile deal would last as groups
of heavily armed gunmen from both sides continued to roam the
tense streets.
There were sporadic exchanges of fire, including an incident
in which two members of a Hamas-led police force were wounded
moments after the agreement was announced.
The ruling Hamas movement, which won January elections, has
rejected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's call for new
polls. Previous accords between the factions have fallen apart.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Israel just
before Hamas and Abbas's Fatah announced the deal on Sunday
night. Blair will hold talks on Monday with Abbas and Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
The ceasefire agreement calls for the rival factions to pull
back their fighters and release men abducted by each side. It
also calls for Abbas's security forces to end a day-long siege
of two Hamas-led government ministries.
Fatah said the agreement does not call for a resumption of
stalled unity government talks, as asserted by Hamas, which took
control of the Palestinian Authority in March after their
parliamentary election victory.
Street battles
The ceasefire deal followed heated accusations on Sunday by
foreign minister Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, that
Abbas's security men had launched a "military coup" against the
Hamas-led government.
Forces loyal to Hamas and Fatah fought street and rooftop
gun battles across Gaza on Sunday. A senior paramilitary
commander loyal to Abbas was found dead after being abducted and
a 19-year-old university student was killed in the crossfire.
Abbas called on Saturday for fresh presidential and
parliamentary elections, a dramatic move that sought to lift
crippling Western sanctions imposed on the Hamas government.
Abbas said early polls should be held as soon as possible.
But he also said efforts to form a unity government should
continue despite repeated failure.
The Palestinian basic law, which acts as a constitution, has
no provision for early elections. Fatah says Abbas can call them
through a presidential decree. Hamas says that would be illegal.
Hamas has insisted it will never recognise the Jewish state,
making it unclear how any unity government could get off the
ground and satisfy Western powers, which cut aid to pressure
Hamas to soften its stance.
In talks with Abbas, Blair will discuss ways to expand a
European aid programme for the Palestinians that bypasses the
Hamas-led government.
Blair has set great store on reviving Middle East
peacemaking before he leaves office next year.
- Reuters
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