RAMALLAH — Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas remains
under threat of attack from his own Fatah movement.
Hundreds of Fatah insurgents have threatened Abbas unless he employs
them in the PA security services. The insurgents have also called on Abbas
to elicit guarantees that the insurgents would not be harmed by Israel. Many
of the insurgents have been wanted by Israel for attacks on civilian and
military targets.
Fatah operatives have been attacking PA officials in both the West Bank
and Gaza Strip. On June 5, Fatah gunmen stormed government offices in the
northern West Bank city of Nablus and opened fire.
Later, about 20 Fatah operatives attacked the office of Nablus governor
Mahmoud Al Ul, who was not present. The gunmen ordered the employees to
leave the governor's office. One person was injured.
"We demand that the Palestinian Authority, especially Abu Mazen [Abbas],
keeps their promises," the Fatah-dominated Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said.
"He promised us jobs in the security services and that he would secure our
safety. We have seen none of it."
Fatah violence erupted despite Abbas's decision to cancel Palestinian
Legislative Council elections in July 2005. The PA chairman had been under
Fatah pressure to cancel elections amid concern that Hamas would capture the
PLC.
PA officials said Abbas has enabled more than 200 Fatah insurgents to
join the security forces. But they said an additional several hundred have
been left out.
On June 3, unidentified gunmen killed PA Islamic Affairs Ministry
director-general Ali Faraj in an ambush near Nablus. Faraj's brother was
also killed. Officials said Faraj was killed in revenge by the sons of an
Israeli collaborator.
"This is an assassination that was carried out by Israel's agents," PA
National Security Adviser Brig. Gen. Jibil Rajoub said. "We will take all
necessary measures to punish these traitors and spies."
In Ramallah, Fatah gunmen battled 100 PA security officers after a
Palestinian complained that she had been harrassed by a Fatah operative. An
officer was injured.
In the Gaza Strip, 35 Fatah gunmen abducted a Palestinian consul in
North Korea, Shaher Abu Iyada. The gunmen, identified as members of the
Fatah Hawks, demanded employment in the PA security forces. The consul
was released, but his diplomatic passport was kept by the Fatah operatives.
Officials said the PA pledged that it would employ 40 Fatah Hawk members
as part of 5,000 officers planned to take over Israeli areas of the Gaza
Strip in August 2005. They said the officers would not be given weapons for
the mission.
