Thursday, January 17, 2008
Hamas Claims Fatah Support Against Israel
Foreign Confidential....
The security situation in southern Israel is intolerable with towns and villages subjected to near daily rocket fire from Hamas-controlled Gaza. In response, Israel has locked down Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed to keep up raids on gunmen in the territory.
Late Thursday night, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak ordered the closure of all border crossings between Israel and Gaza. In announcing the measure, a ministry official said it would remain in effect for several days and would affect both commercial traffic and individual travelers. He added that crossings would be authorised to respond to "exceptional humanitarian needs."
But the Islamist regime ruling Gaza and its rival Fatah-led administration in the West Bank are actually drawing closer in response to Israeli air strikes and ground incursions in Gaza.
The Israeli reprisals are being condemned by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other leading members of his Fatah-led administration in the West Bank, who say if the Israeli actions continue it will be difficult to continue peace negotiations with Israel.
Condolences from Abbas
On Thursday, Abbas, went so far as to call his bitter enemy, Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, and offer condolences for the death of his son who was killed fighting Israeli troops earlier this week.
Ahmed Yousef, a senior Hamas leader, told VOA that the Israeli attacks are helping to bring Hamas and Fatah closer together. He said Abbas' telephone call is a sign that Palestinians will soon be united and facing Israel together.
Bitter Enemies
Hamas and Fatah have long been bitter enemies. Since the Islamist movement ousted Fatah forces from Gaza last year, the Palestinian territories have been divided, with Fatah running the West Bank, and Hamas in control of Gaza.
As if to prove the assertions of Israeli hawks who question Palestinian intentions, Palestinian Islamists have fired about 4,000 homemade Qassam rockets at southern Israel since Israeli troops and settlers disengaged from Gaza in 2005.
While the rockets have not resulted in large numbers of casualties, concerns are growing because the range of the rockets is growing--with some now reaching the city of Ashkelon, home to more than 100,000 Israelis about 15 kilometers from the Gaza border.
