Tension grips Arafat regime as internal firefights reported
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Thursday, December 6, 2001
GAZA CITY Ñ The Palestinian Authority is coping with rising
tension as renewed clashes have erupted between security forces loyal to
Yasser Arafat and Islamic militants.
The situation has alarmed Egypt, which sent its foreign minister to meet
Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Middle East Newsline reported.
On Thursday, the PA was scheduled to stage a rally in support of Arafat
amid reports of dissent within the Palestinian leadership. The rally was
organized by Fatah, which announced that Palestinian attendance is
compulsory.
"Participation in the rally is a national duty in the face of attempts
to target the PA and Arafat," a Fatah statement said.
On Thursday, PA security officers again clashed with armed Islamic
militants outside the home of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin in Gaza City.
Palestinian sources said 1,500 Yassin followers threw rocks at security
forces, which was followed by an exchange of fire between the two sides.
Earlier, an Islamic demonstrator was killed and three others were
injured in a shootout outside Yassin's home. On Wednesday evening, thousands
of militants tried to prevent PA police from taking control of Yassin's home
and a shootout erupted. Demonstrators then torched a police car.
PA officials said Yassin had been placed under house arrest and officers
were trying to limit visitors to his home. This included a ban on Yassin
from speaking to journalists. Earlier, Yassin had severely criticized the PA
in a television interview.
For his part, Arafat has been in constant touch with Western leaders to
prevent an Israeli military blow that could topple his regime. But Western
diplomats and relief personnel have not ruled out such a prospect and the
United Nations has begun relocating foreign staffers from the Gaza Strip to
Jerusalem.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher met
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat on
Thursday.
The tension comes as Arafat has launched an effort to bolster his
regime. PA officials said Arafat has ordered that all interviews be approved
by him.
On Thursday, the PA was scheduled to stage a rally in support of Arafat
amid reports of dissent within the Palestinian leadership. The rally was
organized by Fatah, which announced that Palestinian attendance is
compulsory.
"Participation in the rally is a national duty in the face of attempts
to target the PA and Arafat", a Fatah statement said.
For his part, Arafat has been in constant touch with Western leaders to
prevent an Israeli military blow that could topple his regime. But Western
diplomats and relief personnel have not ruled out such a prospect and the
United Nations has begun relocating foreign staffers from the Gaza Strip to
Jerusalem.
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