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Arafat rushes home to control internecine fighting

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, July 26, 2001

GAZA Ñ Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has cut short his trip to the Gulf to end the internecine fighting between his supporters.

Arafat left Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and returned to Gaza, where he met with his aides. Later, Arafat convened the heads of security agencies as well as the ruling Fatah movement and the Islamic opposition.

Palestinian sources said Arafat was alarmed by reports of fighting between Fatah gunmen and PA security forces. So far, both sides have sustained injuries in the clashes and several Palestinian uprising leaders have been arrested.

On early Tuesday, Fatah and Islamic militants fired shots and hurled rocks toward the home of Arafat's nephew, PA military intelligence chief Mussa Arafat. Earlier, the security official had ordered the arrest of organizers of a protest in Gaza City that turned violent. The demonstrators were encouraged by calls from mosques.

The sources said Fatah dissidents are demanding more authority in continuing the war against Israel. They accused Arafat of bowing to pressure to stop Palestinian attacks within Israel and demanded that Palestinians continue to shell Israeli positions.

"As long as there is [Israeli] occupation, we can never stop the struggle," Hamas spokesman Ismail Abu Haniya said.

For their part, PA sources accused Hamas of flexing their muscles and trying to form a separate authority in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They said they had warned Arafat of Hamas's rising influence during the war with Israel.

Arafat is expected to halt the demonstrations and commit the Islamic opposition to a plan of national unity. This could include a Cabinet reshuffle and the introduction of ministers from Hamas.

"The situation is under control," PA Cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdul Rahman told PA radio on Wednesday. "What happened was something simple that will not occur."

On Wednesday, Israeli and PA security officers will meet in a session sponsored by the United States. The officers will present a list of more than 50 Jewish settlers accused of participating in attacks against Palestinians. The Palestinian side will demand the arrest of the Israelis.

"The Palestinian Authority will give a list of more than 50 Israeli terrorists," PA General Intelligence chief Col. Tawfik Tirawi said. "The authority has proof of their participation in barbarous crimes against Palestinians. If they don't take measures to stop them, they will be held responsible."

Tirawi is said to have stopped attacks on Israel while his rival, PA Preventive Security Apparatus chief Col. Jibril Rajoub, is said to be smuggling weapons from Jordan for PA forces.

On Wednesday, Israeli missiles slammed into a car of a Hamas member and killed him west of the West Bank city of Nablus. The Palestinian was said to have been linked to suicide bombings within Israel.

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