GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, June 12, 2007
Has Gaza Descended Into Civil War?
Hamas Seizes Fatah's Security Headquarters; Fatah Considers Pulling Out Of Coalition
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Gaza Nears Civil War
With reports of gruesome street executions and savage brutality, fighting between Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah is seemingly at the brink of civil war. Charlie D'Agata reports.
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Gaza Violence Flares
Fierce fighting between the two leading political factions in the Palestinian territories is stoking fears of a slide into all-out civil war. Charlie D'Agata reports on the increasing violence.
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Battle For Gaza
Fighting has escalated in Gaza as two rival factions, Fatah and Hamas, battle for control of the territory. Mark Phillips reports that the violence is wreaking havoc and terrorizing civilians.
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Masked Hamas militants stand in the national security headquarters in Al-Nusairat, Gaza, which had been loyal to Fatah, June 12, 2007. (AFP)
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Smoke billows from a building in Gaza City, June 12, 2007. (AFP)
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Palestinian women in the West Bank city of Ramallah protest the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip, June 12, 2007. (AFP)
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Members of Hamas' Executive Force walk in the street near Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's home in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City after it was attacked on June 12, 2007. (AP)
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Both sides said Gaza has descended into civil war, as the death toll from two days of fighting reached 37.
Fatah, the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has the larger fighting force in Gaza — around 80,000 — but the more militant Hamas has a highly trained and motivated militia of 6,000 that has been overrunning some of Fatah's most strategic strongholds, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips.
The conflict escalated further when the Fatah central committee decided to suspend the activities of its ministers in the government it shares with Hamas. In an emergency meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the movement decided on a full withdrawal if the fighting doesn't stop, said Fatah-affiliated government spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh.
Tuesday's battles marked a turning point, with Hamas moving systematically to seize Fatah positions in what some in the Islamic militant group said would be a decisive phase in the yearlong power struggle. The confrontations turned increasingly brutal in recent days, with some killed execution-style in the streets, others in hospital shootouts or thrown off rooftops.
A survivor of the Hamas assault on the northern security headquarters said the Fatah forces were outgunned and that reinforcements never arrived. “We were pounded with mortar, mortar, mortar,” the Fatah fighter, who only gave his first name as Amjad, said excitedly and out of breath. “They had no mercy. It was boom, boom. They had rockets that could reach almost half of the compound.”
In other developments:
Battles raged across the strip Tuesday. The staccato of gunfire echoed across Gaza City, plumes of smoke rose into the air from far-flung neighborhoods and one battle sent a dozen preschoolers scrambling for cover. In one desperate attempt to boost morale, disorganized Fatah forces attacked Hamas' main TV station, but were repelled after a heavy battle.
The Hamas TV station later showed a group of captured men it said were among the attackers, blood streaming down their faces.
Early Monday, Fatah militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the home of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in a refugee camp next to Gaza City. The grenade blasted a hole in the wall and damaged the inside of the house, but no one was hurt.
A few hours later, Hamas militants fired at the Gaza office complex of President Mahmoud Abbas from Fatah. Abbas was in the West Bank at the time, and there were no casualties from the attack.
Many ordinary Gazans, pinned down in their homes, were furious with the combatants. “Both Fatah and Hamas are leading us to death and destruction,” said Ayya Khalil, 29, whose husband serves as an intelligence officer. “The don't care about us.”
In the West Bank, Abbas was meeting with Fatah movement leaders, some of whom urged him to leave the coalition government with Hamas, established three months ago, declare a state of emergency, which would give him sweeping powers, or call early elections. However, none of the options was appealing, and was likely to lead only to more turmoil.
There was concern that the fighting might spread to the West Bank, where Fatah has the upper hand, as Hamas rang up victories in Gaza. Late Tuesday, Fatah gunmen wounded four Hamas activists in the West Bank city of Nablus, Fatah said in a statement.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 178 CommentsThe best thing we can do, although it pains me to say it, might be to pull back all the aid, pull out all the media and just let them have at it once and for all. that's a pretty sick proposition but honestly folks - - what options are left?
Divide and Conquer. The Palestinians still havent figured it out.
Claiming "fear" of a Palestinian civil war is an outright lie by Israel, the US & UK. What else would one expect when you literally starve millions of people?
We are watching Israel, the US & UK engage in ethnic cleansing. And, then lying about their intended goals (eliminate all Palestinians).
Israel's existence is an insult to civilized people everywhere. Zionism is racism and little different than the KKK.
We should should give them a state of their own -
How about everything west of Israel?
They could call it Palestine-Atlantis!
Posted by tuckerndfw
Agreed - it's easy to turn human being into animals. The nazis did it to the jews. we did it to the native indians even to today.
and the israelis are doing it to the hapless palestinians with the help of US/UK. Their rightful funds have been confiscated by the Zionists, and their plan is to allow them to sink further into chaos without food, jobs, money, hospital care, social services.
A disgrace and an act of inhumanity going on now for over 40 years! Shame and infamy on Zionist Israel - you should know better having been yourselves the object of racism and genocide - how can do the same to a defenseless, exiled, downtrodden, Palestinians!
God forgive you such inhuman sins!
Posted by superchez1
your facts don't add up superchit - the israeli zionist katima/lukud owe the palestines - OWE -
millions of dollars which they refuse to pay because hamas won the democratic elections.The Government of Israel had previously suspended the transfer of the tax and customs revenues it collects on behalf of the PA.
By the way israel started the following wars;
1948 ethic cleansing of 750'000 palestinians
1956 attacks egypt with france and Uk
1967 pre-emptive attacks egypt/syria/jordan and steals east jerusalem, west bank, golan heights
1973 egypt attacks israel to regain lost lands
1982 attacks and occupies Lebanon for 18 years
you're an apologist and a dumb one at that - at least read scumbag dershowitz if you want to lie convincingly.
Posted by superchez1 at 11:31 AM : Jun 12, 2007
Yes, you do.
Most Israelis are atheists, not Jews. Most Jews live outside Israel.
The majority of Zionists are American Christians, they are neither Israelis nor Jews.
Israel collects taxes for Palestinians on Palestinian goods. Israel is refusing to release those taxes they collected.
The aid being withheld is international aid, it is not aid from Israel. It is being withheld because Palestinians had a democratic election and elected candidates that did not suck up to Israel and the US.
Their aid was cut off and taxes withheld because they refuse to support the Zionist agenda, it was not because they were attacking Israel.
Zionists have been terrorizing the Middle East for over 100 years. They most certainly did and do "start wars." Israel has attacked US interests more than once. And, has waged numerous unprovoked wars on her neighbors.
Israel is the aggressor; Israel is not the victim.
And, what Israel, the US & UK are attempting to do to the Palestinians is called "ethnic cleansing" and is a war crime. It is little different than the situation in Darfur.
Zionism is racism and is based entirely on lies. "Jews" are not a race that can be exterminsted. And, have never been persecuted "as a people" because "Jews" are not "a people," they are a religious group and nothing more.
Israel's existence is an insult to the civilized world.
What makes you think anything's gonna change now???
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What makes you think anything's gonna change now???
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The current violence ("civil war") is a direct result of Israel, the US & UK intentionally starving the Palestinian people.
So long as Israel, the US & UK are intentionally starving the Palestinian people, it is irrelevant who wants peace. Israel, the US & UK intentionally starving the Palestinian people is called "ethnic cleansing" and is a war crime.
Imagine that, a nation that discriminates against non-Jews has a majority claiming to be Jews.
Most Israelis are atheists, they are not Jews.
David Ben Gurion, nee Gruen, the purported founder of modern day Israel, was an atheist. He also claimed to be a Jew. He, like the vast majority of Zionists (and Israelis) was a liar.
Zionism is based entirely on lies. No one is born a "Jew." There is no such thing as "Jewish blood."
What makes you think anything's gonna change now???
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What makes you think anything's gonna change now???
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What makes you think anything's gonna change now???
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What makes you think anything's gonna change now???
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Israel
Total population: 6,199,000
Percentage of self-admitted atheists: 15 - 37%
Number of atheists: 929,850 - 2,293,630
http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html
Given the fact the majority of Israelis are liars (claim Jews are a race), the number of actual atheists can be doubled.
Can you understand the Palestinians? They are dying an orchestrated death, by economic strangulation.
Olmert is making another assessment error, like he did with his failed attack on South Lebanon in order to wipe-out Hexbollah. All he did is embolden Hezb in the Lebanese and Arab population. And then, he'll come whining at the white house... like a little beaten dog.
AIPAC and affiliated politicians. You are not dealing with some little ****** in the Middl-easts. YOu're dealing with Hamas that was born from the MISERY inflicted by the Jewish State on the occupied Palestinians, you're fighting the Massada resitance, the Maccabbees. This cannot go on forever. Gat the he11 out of there Olmert, eresign. You're driving Israel into abyss. You're contributing to the final steps of existance of Israel...
What zionists (american & israeli) have done to the Palestinian people in the ME in the name of "self-defence", or "the holocaust", or "persecution through the ages", is injustifiable.
One would think a people who have suffered so much would be the greater because of it and exercise compassion and understanding.
From 1948 by ethnically cleansing over 750'000 palestinians from their homes and villages - a process which continues to this day - israel has shown nothing but distain for the plight of a people in same situation they were in 60 years ago.
My how memories are short and the greed for land and water is great!
America must stop this - it's what 911 was all about.
Allah screwed up.
Posted by superchez1
-Keep your eyes closed on the suffering of a population and I'm afraid we'd all see Israel die with it... all te minds are set this way in the middle-East. Hamas is taking the arms against Fatah that tried to calm the fight against Israel. Israelis don't want to see more blood in between. They want peace, as mush as Palestinians do.
Olmert has a huge responsibility, becasue he's not palpating the Israelis' will to peaceful solutions. He's a warmonger like his bosses at AIPAC and PNAC. Olmert is abusing the Palestinians' patience. He's another failure inspired from our White house one and last summer's events in South Lebanon will stick to his name forever...
except in 1967 when Dyan planned to push to Damascus - the Soviets called and said they'd intervene if israel took another step.
israel backed down.
the rest of her "victories" against millions of arabs "armed to the teeth" is total fiction. israel had always the upper hand thanks to good american supplies and every war was a war of choice - never self-defence.
Is there any human on earth who is safe from the wrath of murderous Islam?
Posted by rharrin1
then the zionists would "invent" them.
Whenever a religion rules, death and destruction will follow.
own countries are "Judenrein". The Jews were resettled by Israel,
America and other places.
The Arab countries were the ones who drove out the so-called
Palestinians, and deliberately and cynically left them to rot to make
Israel look bad and destroy Israel and Jews everywhere, and friends of
Israel and Jews.
See the history of Israel articles on www.aish.com for details about how
the situation came about.
The Arab Muslim countries could have and should have resettled the
"Palestinians" long ago. They claim to care about them, which is what
they use for an excuse for their attacks on Israel and her friends.
If they really cared about the "Palestinians", they have enough millions
of acres of land and trillions of dollars of oil money to have given
every one of them beautiful homes, schools, medical care, and other
things to help them live good lives.
Instead, not one Arab country will give visas to "Palestinians", who
created this name for themselves by stealing it from the Jews. The
people who call themselves Palestinians now had come from various Arab
countries to get work and a better life in Israel than they ever had in
their own countries. This is how they repay Israel for helping them, by
trying to take over the country. This is what the world needs to hear,
not the continual litany of lies being spread about Israel.
"Whenever a religion rules, death and destruction will follow" ---- Good post,,, Exactly why Gonzales & Bush has to go.
Posted by ptruth2
wrong -
palestinians are a gifted people and known throughout the arab world a good administrators. millions of palestinians are gainfully employed in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi, UAE, thru-out the ME & Gulf States, even in America.
not blue
as usual, you're long on opinion, short on fact.
and truthfully your opinions are of little interest as they have absolutely nothing to do with the roots and causes -
just apologetic mis-statements which may confuse some, but truely bore those armed with factual information.
"Palestinians" long ago.
Posted by cricket60
yeah, crick, how about I re-settle you somewhere, a place which is not the home of your father, grand-fathers, etc.
would you like that crick? "re-settled" ?
think before you write, it changes everything.
The situation came about because Zionists formed an organization in 1897 for the sole and exclusive purpose to steal someone else's land.
Initially, they were amenable to stealing land anywhere, but after oil was discovered in the Middle East, they suddenly demanded they be given "Israel."
Acting in concert with various governments, including the German Nazis, Soviets, British and US, they staged an event to justify their claims of needing a "homeland."
Zionists began terrorizing the Middle East long before Israel was established. Israel was formed by terrorists led by David Ben Gurion, nee Gruen, and has been supported by terrorists since that time.
Arabs have no obligation to provide anything to people displaced by Europeans, Soviets and Americans.
Israelis should return to their own "homelands" and stop stealing other people's land. They do not belong on the land they or their parents stole.
7 billion people on earth is way too many anyways.
As for Jews stealing land from Arabs and Muslims - remember that whole area was Jewish until the "peaceful Mohammed" subjugated the region under Islam - the 14th century quote the Pope used; well, Muslims may be outraged from it (which is hilarious since they routinely call us infidels, the Great Satan, etc.), but its true; Islam was spread through brutality; killing and forcibly converting many jews and forcing them from their Middle Eastern homes of centuries.
Your words are nothing but unsupported rhetoric.
In 1786, Thomas Jefferson, then U.S. ambassador to France, and John Adams, then American Ambassador to Britain, met in London with Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja, the Dey%u2019s ambassador to Britain, in an attempt to negotiate a peace treaty based on Congress%u2019 vote of funding. To Congress, these two future presidents later reported the reasons for the Muslims%u2019 hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous contacts.
%u2026that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Musselman (Muslim) who should be slain in Battle was sure to go to Paradise.
Sound familiar?
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison defeated the fascist nazi muslims 200 years ago
And again 100 years ago with Theodore Roosevelt
Tunisia in 1881 by France and Libya in 1911 by Italy. By then most of the Islamic world was under Christian domination. With the Ottoman Empire defeated in WW1, secularist Turkish rebels in 1923 overthrew the last Islamic Caliphate,
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?6bdec278-6a71-4436-bc4d-29d1c54b0ad7
Go back to college,, You obviously missed something ---- There is no such thing as a true democracy,, In fact it is the messiest form of government & the easiest to corrupt.
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