Fatah’s military wing al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades released a new video (Arabic link) showing its fighters training for the “destruction of Israel” and calling for more fighters to join the brigades. Fatah is the political party headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

At the same time, Hamas warned it is preparing “surprises” for Israel. Hamas’ military wing, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, held a rally in Rafah in southern Gaza where it displayed a large box (Arabic link) on which the words “the black box” were written in both Arabic and Hebrew, as a direct message to Israel.

Hamas officials warned these surprises will be exposed as needed, and further displayed various weapons produced in Gaza, including M-75 rockets.

In addition, Hamas hailed the latest stabbing of an Israeli resident in Jerusalem on November 16, saying the move was a “natural reaction.” According to Hamas’ website, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said:

“The stabbing act is just the expected retort to Israel’s terror campaigns and vandalism against the Palestinian people and Muslims’ sanctuaries in Occupied Jerusalem.”

Palestinian social media users and those on Hamas’ forums are continuing their calls for Arab residents in the West Bank and Jerusalem to rise up against Israel and to wage an “intifada” against Israel.

Meanwhile, senior Hamas official Ismail Radwan called for the dissolution the Palestinian unity government with Fatah and the appointment of a new government in its place. Radwan slammed the current government for having “fallen short on its assigned missions,” particularly in regards to Gaza’s reconstruction. He called for an alternate national government “capable of living up to its duties on behalf of the Palestinian people.”

[Photo: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi / flickr]