New Palestinian Truce Already Bloodied

Two Cops Loyal To Fatah Killed In Gaza City Morning After New Ceasefire Announced

(CBS/AP)  Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, called for an end to Palestinian infighting and urged warring factions to unite in the struggle against Israel.

"This nation, this people will be united in front of the occupation and aggression and will not be engaged, despite the wounds of the past few days, in internal fighting," Haniyeh said in a televised speech.

Fierce gun battles erupted in the streets of Gaza City early Tuesday between Hamas and Fatah forces, leaving at least three people dead and shattering hopes that the truce agreed to Sunday might survive.

At least 18 people were wounded, including five schoolchildren caught in the crossfire of a gunfight, hospital officials said. A Hamas gunman was kidnapped and a top Fatah official's car was attacked by gunfire.

The latest wave of fighting broke out last week, with tensions heightening after Abbas announced plans to call early elections over the weekend. Hamas has condemned the plan as a coup.

Deputy al Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, spoke out against the idea of early elections in the Palestinian territories, saying in a video tape broadcast on a pan-Arab satellite channel Wednesday that elections would not lead to "liberation."

Entering the argument over President Abbas's proposal, al-Zawahri said the only way was armed struggle.

"Any way other than holy war, will lead us only to loss and defeat," he said on the tape.

Referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, al-Zawahri said: "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."

In his rambling Tuesday speech, Haniyeh reiterated a call for a long-term truce with Israel and formation of a temporary Palestinian state alongside Israel.

He said the truce could last as long as 20 years, after an independent Palestinian state is established in territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.

Israel rejects a full withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders.

Hamas officials have proposed a long-term truce in the past.

Israel and the international community insist that the militant group fully recognize Israel's right to exist. Hamas, which is committed to Israel's destruction, has repeatedly rejected that demand.

[three-o-six]

Maybe even Truce and Islam are contradicting terms. One step farther - Peace and Islam are contradicting terms.

Palestinian and Truce are contradicting terms

[kphx]

Oh wherever there is a mess, America is sure to be there. The leading light of all. When the palestinians democratically elected Hamas, the next day Condi Rice is being questioned in the congress, "How the hell did this happen ? How come the guys we supported did not win the election ?" Do we all see this nonsense. Meddling with other people's mess. And then we wonder why the heck people all around the world hate Americans.

[antoniof123]

Why do we just not leave the whole area get out now and stay out until they learn to live with each other.

[bluestardad]

Media! Quit covering this mess and let them kill themselves in the quiet! America is getting tired of it and this fight is thousands of years old so give it a rest! We should all start writing the sponsors of the media and demand the black out of the middle-east!