Haniyeh led by guards to the Mukataa
Photo: AFP
Haniyeh's car attacked; parliament session suspended
Palestinian PM's guards fire in the air after hundreds of Authority employees try to block Haniyeh's entrance to Mukataa. Fatah decides not to take part in parliament meeting in protest of Hamas' violent reaction
Hundreds of government employees protested outside the Palestinian parliament compound on Monday, and succeeded in bringing to a suspension of the Legislative Council's session that was set to take place at the time.
The meeting was set to focus on the situation in the Palestinian Authority, and include a speech by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. However, upon the PM convoy's arrival at the complex, protesters attacked the vehicles in a bid to prevent Haniyeh from entering the Mukataa.
In response, the PM's bodyguard fired in the air in order to disperse the strikers. According to eyewitnesses, the guards also beat up several of the strikers.
A Fatah parliament member claimed that she too was beaten by Haniyeh's guards. Consequently, the faction decided to suspend its participation in the meeting, this despite the fact that the faction has presented a parliamentary question to the Palestinian internal minister on the issue of the deteriorating security situation and the pervasive anarchy in the PA, which was set to stand at the heart of the discussions.
Hamas, on its part, condemned the attack on Haniyeh's convoy and demanded that the elements behind the "shameful and immoral incident" be investigated, claiming these elements had planned to break up the session. The group called on the Palestinian people to beware of those who seek to increase tension and incitement against the government, whom Hamas says are led by Israel and the United States.
