Hamas leading violence
Photo: AFP
Joint Palestinian committee: Hamas to blame for violence
Committee of joint Palestinian organizations meets in Gaza, determines Hamas responsible for renewed infighting. Hamas and Islamic Jihad protest committees bias
The most senior joint committee of Palestinian organizations convened in Gaza City pursuant to renewed violent confrontation between Hamas and Fatah since Thursday, which left seven people dead.
The committee announced that the Hamas-government's security force constitutes the sources of the tension and altercations between the sides, and called on Palestinian President Mahmouad Abbas, once more, to disband it and forbid armed protests and armed street displays.
Hamas-Fatah meeting
Palestinian president, PM meet for first time in 2 months, in attempts to defuse Fatah-Hamas conflict. PM Haniyeh: 'We must unite. The battle against the occupation is still long and brutal.' Thursday, 6 killed in internal clashes
Contributing to the tension was Hamas' boycott of the meeting, after telling the committee that it was biased in favor Fatah. The Islamic Jihad refused to take part in the statement, saying it was reached prior to an actual investigation to determine who was responsible for the fighting.
Friday morning was relatively quiet, even during the funerals of the Palestinians killed in Thursday's infighting.
However, Fatah members appealed to Abbas to fire Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siyam, whom they hold responsible for what they call "the well-planned assassination of operatives and senior officials in the movement," allegedly carried out by members of Hamas' security force.
Pursuant to the renewal of violence, Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh met late Thursday night, for the first time in two months.
Both parties agreed that armed displays in the streets of Gaza should be forbidden, and that an independent examination committee should be established in order to investigate the recent events.
Haniyeh and Abbas also agreed on the need to speed up the talks on the establishment of a Palestinian unity government.
