Gun Battles Rage Across Gaza

Rival Factions Clash As Hamas Cracks Down On Fatah Celebrations

(CBS/AP)  Palestinians celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the Fatah movement fought gun battles with members of the ruling Islamic militant group Hamas across Gaza Monday, CBS News' Robert Berger reports.

Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in a Palestinian civil war in June, has banned gatherings by the rival and more moderate Fatah. But Fatah defied the ban, prompting Hamas to launch a new crackdown early Tuesday. Dozens of Fatah activists were arrested.

The fighting stretched into a second day, leaving a total of eight dead and 60 wounded, despite an unusually conciliatory speech toward Hamas by Fatah's leader, President Mahmoud Abbas.

Continued clashes could undermine next week's scheduled visit to the region by U.S. President George W. Bush, who will try to prod Israel and the Palestinians closer to peace.

Five Palestinians died in fighting across Gaza on Monday, and a sixth died of his wounds Tuesday morning, medical officials said. Two others were killed in Gaza City early Tuesday in a gunbattle between Hamas security men and a family affiliated with Fatah, leaving one Hamas policeman and a Fatah supporter dead.

The eight dead included three Hamas and three Fatah supporters, officials said. Also killed were an elderly man caught in a crossfire in northern Gaza and a 14-year-old Hamas supporter shot in the southern town of Khan Younis after he exited a mosque, relatives said.

The deaths were the first in Palestinian infighting since Hamas forces opened fire on a huge Fatah rally on Nov. 11, killing eight and wounding 85. That gathering was the first sign of Fatah resurgence since the Hamas takeover.

Fatah said dozens of activists were arrested overnight Tuesday, and one of its leaders in Gaza City was briefly detained by Hamas forces who shaved off half his hair and mustache as humiliation. Hamas denied the charge.

Islam Shahwan, a spokesman for Hamas security forces, confirmed only that his men made a number of arrests. Hamas officials said all Fatah celebrations, including small gatherings, would be banned Tuesday, the actual anniversary of Fatah's founding.

Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, said the Gaza government "will pursue the killers and bring them to justice and punish them according to the law. We are not going to show mercy for these crimes."

After the Gaza takeover, Abbas expelled Hamas from government and installed his own pro-Western administration based in the West Bank.

In late November, he and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert relaunched peace talks in Annapolis, Maryland, and set a 2008 target for a peace treaty. Bush's visit next week is meant to bolster the fledgling peace process.

The Palestinians hope to build an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem - areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.

Olmert has signaled readiness to withdraw from a large chunk of the West Bank and part of east Jerusalem - prompting harsh criticism from within his ruling coalition. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

In a published interview Tuesday, Olmert said Israelis must understand that even their country's closest international allies want Israel to pull back in the West Bank and share Jerusalem.

"The world that is friendly to Israel ... speaks of Israel in terms of the '67 borders. It speaks of the division of Jerusalem," Olmert told The Jerusalem Post, an English-language daily.

"This marks a sea change in Israeli policy," says CBS News' Berger. "Since the 1967 war, Israeli leaders have said that Jerusalem would remain the undivided capital of Israel forever. But those days are over."

But Olmert said Israel would be able to hold on to some areas in the West Bank in any peace deal, with U.S. approval.

Although Israel has promised to halt building in its West Bank settlements, Olmert said that didn't apply to all settlements. He called Maaleh Adumim, a large settlement outside Jerusalem, an "indivisible part of Jerusalem and the state of Israel."

Palestinians reject any settlement construction, saying it compromises peace negotiations. They also want Israel to halt all construction in east Jerusalem.

Among the other sticking points for a final deal is Abbas' lack of control in Gaza. Hamas is committed to Israel's destruction and opposes the peace process.

In a Fatah anniversary speech Monday that lasted almost an hour and a half, Abbas offered to talk to Hamas.

"There is no way for any party here to be an alternative to the other, and there is no room for terms like coup or military takeover, but only for dialogue, dialogue, dialogue," he said.

Abbas called for "a new page, writing in its lines a credible agreement based on partnership, on life, on our homeland and our struggle to liberate it."

Abbas maintained his position that Hamas must restore power in Gaza to an elected government. But he urged reconciliation and called for new elections.

Zahar said Abbas' speech was "full of incitement that paved the road for some to carry out last night's massacre."

Hamas won January 2006 parliamentary elections and has rejected calls for another vote.

[cfin5]

tuckerndfw,.....I don''t expect anything but insults from you and neither will I dish them out. However, the God that you say does not exist has never been wrong in what he prophecies (history told in advance). The impossible part for me is believing that it was mere men who wrote the Bible. How could they have described the effects of nuclear war on human flesh from so long ago,.....consider this ----- Zecharia chapter 14:12,.....And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.-------Actually, the whole chapter describes a future terrible battle in Jerusalem that has not happened yet that preceeds the day that Jesus Christ returns.

[cfin5]

tuckerndfw,.....God promised that in the last days that he would bring his people who were scattered throughout all the nations of the Earth back to THEIR land. That has happened just as he said,......he''s no liar.

[cfin5]

Wasn''t Jordan supposed to by the Palestinians homeland?.......

[quetzal666]

Ishreal is a welfare state made up of illegal immigrants.....

[earth561]

Hey TuckerBaby

If accuracy when stating figures and facts is your calling card than the first letter of your name should start with an "F"

Why not just raise that figure to 3 trillion and get it overwith. You haven''t commented on the 33 billion the USA spends to defends Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar,UAE, Bahrain, Taiwan,Japan,The Phillipines, not to mention fighting the Arab wars against Sadaam or BongoBrain in Iran. The aRABS would rather be playing in a casino as they are so brave.

[earth561]

By the way, your Idol Arafat was an Egyptian and not a Palestinian. He oslo died of aids....hmm

[earth561]

So I''''ll tell you what. From now on, lets call Hamas a Freedom Fighter Group fighting for their rightful homeland

floyd

They have their homeland. Its called the Gaza Strip which was part of EGYPT until they gave up all claims to it in the 1980s.

[earth561]

Ok Floyd..you got me !

In your Bizzaro World where you put words in peoples mouths and misquote them.

Typical Schmartzaclonetzan

[earth561]

3 Billion plus a year in US Foreign Aid to Israel - more than to any one else. Yet the Israelis are like number 3 on the "who uses espionage against the US" list. Friends or American teetsuckling leeches? You make the call.....


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Posted by FloydZepp at 12:07 PM : Jan 02, 2008

Its more like 2 billion, but whats important about accuracy ?

You tend to omit the 2 billion to Egypt or 1.5 to Jordan etc etc abd than lets not forget the 12 billion to defend the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia which have the capacity and arms to defend themselves but owuld rather have Americans and Brits lose their blood while their in Monte Carlo betiing on red or black.
Did America ever fight a war with her soldiers for Israel ?

It sure did for the Arabs.....Lebenon,Saudi Arabia,Kuwait,UAE,Qatar,etc.

[earth561]

Ah, the King David Hotel. The dead British. The Dead Arabs. The dead Jews. But I guess Irgun were Freedom Fighters! I wonder how come Hamas aren''''t considered Freedom Fighhters? Oh, I know why, Zionists are hypocrites.


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Posted by FloydZepp at 12:02 PM : Jan 02, 200

One instance of terrorism called the Hotel and all Jews are terorists. Considering all races,religions,creeds have some history of a case of terror than were all terrorists. right ?
The difference is Islamist Fundamentalists teach that death is better than living to 5 year olds.

[earth561]

earthboy, I could ask you the same thing. You rant against the Palestinians as terrorists yet justify the Israeli Terrorists by saying, "Well other people were terrorists too!" Shessh, you''''re such a dummy.


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Posted by FloydZepp at 12:00 PM : Jan 02, 2008

Floydboy,
Where did I ever say Palestinians were terrorists ?
please go back as far as you like and find it for me.

now, go back to your Cocoa Puffs

[earth561]

Baby killer, ignorant morons, such as yourself, like to claim any nation that "persecutes" Jews somehow disappears or otherwise meets with a bad end.

Tucker

Tucky,I didn''t say anything about persecution.You did !
You conveniently omitted the Jews out of the equation when it comes to the inventions,philosephys, medecine, sciences that were given to those civilizations from the Jews.

[earth561]

Tuckybaby

come on ! your getting really redundant with your responses. baby this and baby that. Are you Telly Savalis in drag ? You just keep snipping and clipping the same BS. Come up with something more refreshing wiil ya

Love ya baby !

[earth561]

That will leave us with the Muslim problem, but they seem far more rational than Jews or Christians.

Tuckerhead


thats right ! Fly prophets that land in Jerusalem and the stealing of scriptures from the old and new testaments, not to mention beheadings and the treatment of women like cattle. Islam is more rational ! ( wink )

[earth561]

Where are the nations that gave "Jews" sanctuary?

(bankrupted by years of war)

Egypt is alive and well.

The Roman Empire is alive and well and goes by the name "Catholic church."

Babylon & Persia are alive and well and go by the name Iraq & Iran (they have a lot more oil than Israel).

Greece is alive and well. Greeks left far more of an impression on history than anything "Jews" ever did.

As did Romans.

You seem to have a weak grasp of history. . .


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Posted by tuckerndfw at 09:31 AM : Jan 02, 2008


How convenient of you to omit the Jews who lived amonst those nations.

Egypt is alive and well but the only remaining true desendants of the original Egyptians are the Christian Copts and the Jews who were driven out in the 1950s. The rest came by way of the Arab drive northward in the 600s.

Iraq and Iran surely do have more oil than Israel and haven''t had one Nobel Peace Prize recipient or inventor since the 900s. I guess that Oil makes you better than your neighbors.
What logic is that moron ?
When they run out of oil in 2040 than I guess they''ll
have more sand than Israel also.

Greece? Oh thats right ! over 2000 years ago they gave us socrates etc. I guess the Mexicans should take credit for the Aztecs. badabing !!

the only grasp you have is your wanker that you play with as a brain.

[earth561]

earth561 at 12:44 AM : Jan 02, 2008

Interesting that you find murdering babies to be so amusing.


You are equivalent to a rabid animal, as are all other Zionists.

ALL Zionists are baby killers, without exception.


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Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:28 AM : Jan 02, 2008

Now Tuckhead,
Where does it state that I''m amused at murdering babies ?
I''m amused that someone like Corrie can be such a sucker and imbicle to lay in front of a Caterpillar to work for such neandrethals as you.

[lfitts1]

Israel is America''''''''s number one enemy. The nation most likely to nuke the US is Israel

Says tuckerndfw

You are a complete !diot.

Posted by superchez1

Correction--he is NOT a complete idiot. Ignorant, fascistic, antisemetic and psychotic--yes. It reminds you why during the 2nd world war, the US remained ''neutral'' for such a long time--there are still many people in the US who long for the ''final solution to the jewish problem''

[jowand]

The Roman Empire is alive and well and goes by the name "Catholic church."
tuckerdfw

Greek Orthodox Church would disagree with you on the one as they are older than the Catholic Church, and the seat of the part of the Roman Empire which lasted the longest.

[cfin5]

The globalists are trying to "get us back to the GARDEN" so to speak,.....but first they have to get us back to the Tower of Babel, the last time that there was ONE man ruled the world by the name of Nimrod. In the current Grand Illusion of things, the next Nimrod will be touted by the Roman Church (christian veneered babylonian religion) commonly known in the Bible as the Anti-Christ. This can also be translated as "Substitute of Christ" or "Vicar of Christ".........Remember, Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven for the sin of wanting to be worshiped as God (ISAIAH 14, especially verses 12-14). Do you think that he has changed his mind on anything since then? What better trick to pull on folks than to dress up very Holy and use the name of Christ to rule the world. It is called being a "spiritual ***". (Revelation 17)

[underdogus]

You seem to have a weak grasp of history. Posted by tuckerndfw at 09:31 REALLY? BRING IT ON!!! ALL of them...ghess