Palestinian policemen guarding government buidling in Ramallah
Photo: AFP
Members of a security unit set up by Hamas
Photo: AFP
Fatah gunmen torch Haniyeh's Ramallah office
Fatah activists storm government, parliament buildings in Ramallah and set fire to office of Prime Minister and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
Fatah activists on Monday set ablaze the Ramallah office of Prime Minister and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, witnesses said.
Earlier a Hamas activist and a civilian were killed in exchanges of fire between rival Hamas and Fatah gunmen in the Gaza Strip.
PA Clashes
Ali Waked
Hamas gunmen open fire at convoy of Fatah’s Preventive Security force chief as he attends funeral of fellow officer. Abu Shbak rushed from scene unharmed, but two others injured
Gunmen opened fire at a building complex housing the Palestinian Legislative Council and government offices in protest at a series of attacks on Fatah officials in Gaza, which have been largely blamed on Hamas.
Under a travel ban imposed by Israel prime minister Haniyeh has no access to his West Bank office and is permanently located in Gaza.
Hamas on Monday blamed Fatah gunmen for the killing of one of its members during the funeral of a gunman killed in clashes on Sunday.
Fatah refuted Hamas claims that a sniper positioned on the roof of the headquarters had opened fire at Hamed Abu Jazer, a Hamas activist.
During Monday's clashes Hamas gunmen fired rockets at the Preventive Security Forces building in Rafah, near the border with Egypt.
Gunmen ignored orders by the Interior Minister to evacuate the streets of Rafah and clashes lasted few hours. A Palestinian civilian was killed in night clashes between the rival factions.
Palestinian security officials said Hamas gunmen tried to set on fire the Rafah headquarters of the Preventive Security Forces.
The latest escalations come a day after the failure of talks between President Mahmoud Abbas and premier Haniyeh in Gaza on Sunday.
Hamas refuses to accept a plan for peace with Israel which Abbas threatened to put up for a referendum.
Rantisi's brother kidnapped
In a sign of further escalation, Fatah gunmen in Khan Younis kidnapped Dr. Salah Rantisi, the brother of Hamas leader Aziz Rantisi, killed in an Israeli air strike.
The kidnapping was to avenge the kidnapping of a senior Fatah official by Hamas gunmen.
