Palestinians living in the West Bank are marking five years since the death of Yasser Arafat, an event that highlights the schism between Fatah
and Hamas.
While the Palestinian Authority will hold a huge rally in the Ramallah presidential compound, the rival Hamas which runs Gaza banned similar commemoration in the Strip.
Fatah officials are certain that the masses will come out to mark the event, and more significantly, show support for current President Mahmoud Abbas
in the wake of his recent retirement announcement.
Wall art in Gaza of Arafat. Hamas bans memorial of late leader (Photo: Reuters)
Abbas himself is expected to deliver a speech and possibly detail his future plans during the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Fatah officials have worked tirelessly in the past two days to make sure the event is a success, and will offer rides to Ramallah from across the West Bank.
At an early ceremony in Ramallah on Tuesday evening, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said his people are prepared to make peace with Israel but they will not agree to moves that reinforce Israel's occupation - a remark seen as a veiled as criticism of US policy.
Yet as noted, for the second consecutive year, Hamas has banned Arafat commemoration ceremonies in Gaza, claiming that this is a response to similar PA bans on Hamas rallies in the West Bank.
However, Fatah officials are convinced that the move aims to prevent Gazans from showing their dissatisfaction with Hamas’ rule in the Strip. Senior Fatah member Mohammad Dahlan reinforced the deep divisions by stating that “we seek to congratulate Fatah activists in Gaza who are coping with the Israeli occupation and with Hamas’ occupation.”
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