Abbas chastises Hamas

Following a violent weekend in Gaza that included clashes between Hamas and Palestinian Authority security personnel, P.A. chairman Mahmoud Abbas made a Saturday night address to the Palestinian people.

In his speech, Abbas attacked Hamas and said that he would neither tolerate the group setting itself up as a rival authority to the P.A. nor accept anarchy as a permanent condition in the territories.

According to Palestinian sources, the P.A. is concerned that this weekend's mortar and rocket attacks will sabotage the planned disengagement from Gaza. However, nothing is expected of the chairman's harsh words.

Instead, the P.A. is hoping that the Egyptian delegation to Gaza will straighten out matters.

Call of order and unity

Abbas called on factions to stop "actions that cause deaths among the Palestinian people; hurt the purity of the Palestinian struggle; cause damage to the Palestinian struggle and position, and threaten Palestinian unity."

He accused unnamed factions of exploiting the patience of the P.A.: "They talk about a cooling-off period, but they do the opposite. People see our patience and our desire for national unity as a sign of weakness."

Abbas also warned against the growth of a rival authority to the P.A. in the territories and said that only legal, P.A.-issued weapons would be allowed on the street. He said that political power must be bought ballots and that the P.A. plans to conduct elections.

Abbas added that "our stance against terrorist attacks has been clear all along the way. Terrorists attacks hurt the interests of the Palestinian nation."

He said that anarchy played into the hands of the Israelis because it allowed them to renege on their commitments. He said that Palestinian violence in response to "Israeli provocations" would cause the Palestinians to lose international support and the territorial gains they currently enjoy.

On Monday, an Egyptian delegation is expected to arrive and to try to solve the dispute betwten the P.A. and Hamas.