While for Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank it appears Fatah and Hamas have at last understood that fighting each other only adds to the impact of the Israeli occupation, for Erica Silverman in Gaza the seeds of inter-Palestinian conflict have still to be uprooted Inner struggle continues By Khaled Amayreh Prime Minster Ismail Haniyeh and government spokesperson Ghazi Hamad of Hamas returned to Gaza from the hajj -- the holy pilgrimage to Mecca -- inspired by religious serenity. They were abruptly reminded of the down-to-earth violence plaguing the Gaza Strip. Brutal inter-factional violence between Fatah and Hamas has claimed the lives of over 40 Palestinians, and injured scores more in recent weeks. The Hamas political leadership in Gaza must now come to terms not only with Fatah, but also with military objectives within the Hamas movement. The violence, appearing as foreshadowing a civil war, dealt a serious blow to President Mahmoud Abbas's call in December for early elections. Hamas senses its weakness in the West Bank, and has tried to compensate by proving their strength in Gaza, although the political leadership is well aware that the dispute cannot be resolved militarily. This 365-square kilometre swathe of land is home to more than 1.4 million people, making it one of the most densely-populated places on earth. Civil war would mean mutually assured destruction. Fierce gun battles have erupted on the streets of Gaza between Hamas's Executive Forces, and the Presidential Guard and other security forces loyal to Fatah. The sight of parallel security forces in conflict with each other has created widespread fear and confusion amongst Gazans. Hamas set up the Executive Forces in May after they were sworn into office in March and Abbas declared the force illegal earlier this month. Hamas demonstrated its military prowess during the recent clashes, but the violence has been seen as a moral blemish to the movement. Hamas was largely held accountable for a drive-by shooting in mid-December that claimed the lives of three sons of a senior intelligence officer in Gaza. Two weeks ago, six more were killed in Gaza, including Preventive Security Services Colonel Mohamed Ghayeb in his home. Hamas forces were reported responsible. Ceasefires between Fatah and Hamas brokered by the Egyptians as well as smaller Palestinian factions have crumbled before. Meanwhile, Fatah and Hamas continue to abduct each other's members. The violence has mostly erupted in Gaza, where there is a greater cultural divide between Fatah and Hamas, in addition to a great proliferation of weapons. Fatah has looked to senior Fatah legislator Mohamed Dahlan -- former security strongman in Gaza -- to counter Hamas's prowess. Gaza was already engulfed in a security crisis, mostly perpetrated by Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades militants -- there are over 150 offshoots of the group in Gaza -- and prominent families acting above the law. The Palestinian Authority's police have not been used over the past year to quell the violence, and so far, the Executive Forces has only aggravated the crisis. Abbas's office controls the Presidential Guard, National Intelligence and National Security, while the Interior Ministry controls the police, Preventive Security Services, and Executive Forces. There is little coordination between security forces, although Interior Minister Said Syiam, of Hamas, answers to Abbas. The Executive Forces, now on the government's payroll, are comprised mostly of Ezzeddin Al-Qassam members -- Hamas's military wing. The 6,000-strong force, which Hamas promised to increase to 12,000, "will be integrated into the police force once the country is stable," said senior commander Abu Belal. According to Al-Aqsa militants, a new "security and protection force" is being formed in Gaza, financed by Dahlan and approved by Abbas. "There are 3,000 members from my neighbourhood in Gaza City alone," reported one mid-level fighter. He claims the force will protect Fatah members and will eventually be deployed on the streets. "We have the right to deploy a special force to stop the clashes," said Fatah spokesperson Abed Al-Hakem Awad in Gaza. Many Gazans consider a new "Fatah" security force as a mandate for further violence. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice confirmed, during her visit to the region this week, that the Bush administration will provide nearly $90 million to strengthen security forces loyal to Abbas. The US funding will be used to assist President Abbas in fulfilling PA commitments under the roadmap to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism and establish law and order in the West Bank and Gaza, according to Rice. Spokesperson Hamad said Rice's visit aimed to weaken the Palestinian domestic front and impose pro-Israeli solutions. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) alleged that the aim behind Rice's visit was "to divide the people of the region into moderates and extremists in an attempt to encourage domestic fighting." An agreement was announced on Monday between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Rice to hold a three-way summit with Abbas. Gazans are still hoping that a national unity government between Fatah and Hamas will end internal clashes and lift the economic and political sanctions imposed on the Palestinians after Hamas rejected the conditions of the Quartet (the EU, US, UN and Russia). These include renouncing violence, recognising Israel, and respecting the previously signed agreements between parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Government employees have gone unpaid for 10 months, affecting a quarter of the Palestinian population. Palestinian acting treasurer and Minister of Planning Samir Abu Aisha announced that an agreement had been reached between the government and the Union of Public Sector Employees to end a strike that began in September. According to the Palestinian daily, Al-Quds, a $30 million payment from the government was to be allocated to teachers and healthcare workers this week. Hamas officials brought the funds into Gaza, mostly donated by Iran. "Allowances" have been paid to healthcare workers, low- income civil servants and those receiving social welfare under the EU Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) -- a $266 million EU funded emergency mechanism to alleviate the humanitarian strain of the embargo. Security forces of the PA, not included in the TIM, have received about 20 per cent of their salary over the last 10 months from funds donated by Arab countries. Palestinian politics is at a dangerous crossroads, says Talal Okal, a political analyst and member of the board of trustees at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. Fatah believes that negotiating with Israel will lead to the formation of an independent Palestinian state, while Hamas, although it has agreed to accept a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, refuses to recognise Israel. "The 'Prisoners Plan' presented a unified front for achieving Palestinian nationalist goals," says Okal, but Fatah and Hamas succumbed to violence. Voters were expecting a competitive system after successful, democratic legislative elections a year ago. Instead, Hamas won a majority, and according to Okal, "even if there is an agreement to form a national unity government, it will be a temporary solution, and the power struggle will continue until one party dominates." Haniyeh made an appeal Saturday: "on behalf of the Palestinian government, I call all the Palestinian people, particularly the Hamas and Fatah movements, to end all inter-Palestinian clashes,", The Palestinian Prime Minister added that Palestinian weapons should only be aimed towards the "occupier". The Israeli daily, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday that the Israeli army has increased its training in preparation for another major incursion into Gaza.
