Gaza Residents Protest against Factional Infighting

Wednesday January 31, 2007 21:31

by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Hundreds of Palestinian residents in Gaza city took part today in an anti-infighting protest, in which they called for an end all forms of internal violence.

The demonstration has been called for by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Supporters Society to voice condemnation of factional infighting and call for national unity.

Jamal Ferwana, head of the society, told reporters “the demonstration today is intended at rejecting infighting and calling on all factions to return to dialogue on basis of the Palestinian prisoners’ conciliation document”.

Ferwana expressed his resentment for the recent factional infighting that has claimed dozens of lives and wounded scores of people over the past five days.

He called on the Palestinian people to take to the streets and reject such infighting, and emphasize on the fact that dialogue is the only means to conclude a national unity government.

In a speech to protesters, the society’s spokesman, Nabil Aljaber, called on both Fatah and Hamas to practice what they preach. He said: ‘Palestinian blood is a red line that can never be crossed’.

Aljaber maintained that the protest today is a part of several activities his society plans to carry out to express rejection of infighting. He added that it will give a chance for dialogue for the sake of a national unity government that would help lift the current internationally-imposed economic embargo.

More than sixty Palestinians have been killed over the past two months during frequent Hamas-Fatah infighting, after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for early presidential and parliamentary elections.

The Hamas-led government rejected the call, calling it inconsistent with the Palestinian institution.