Hamas: Fateh is unfairly targeting Hamas supporters in West Bank

Wednesday November 14, 2007 18:43 by PNN - IMEMC News

The Hamas movement in the West bank on Wednesday released a statement criticizing their rival party Fateh, which is currently ruling in the West Bank, for unfairly targeting Hamas supporters.

The Hamas movement challenged the arrests of 1100 Hamas members by Fateh-led Palestinian security forces, and also accused Fateh of carrying out 1500 attacks against mosques, schools, organizations and individuals.  The movement challenged the restrictions that have been placed on Hamas events, which have been prevented in the West Bank by Fateh forces.

In addition, the Hamas movement pointed out that in the other Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is in charge, no such restrictions have been carried out against the Fateh party.  The movement stated that there have been 120 events staged by the Fateh party in Gaza since June, but no events by Hamas in the West Bank.

The statement comes two days after a major Fateh gathering in Gaza, in which 200,000 Palestinians gathered to honor the late leader Yasser Arafat.  But that gathering ended in violence, as firefights broke out between Fateh and Hamas.  Both sides blamed the other for starting the shooting, which resulted in eight dead and fifty-five wounded.

translated by Manar Jibrin, edited by Saed Bannoura

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