MidEast

  • Print Friendly, PDF & Email
  • Send to Kindle

Attacks on Fatah Targets Prompts Palestinian PM to Cancel Gaza Trip

by TheTower.org Staff |

A  series of overnight blasts targeting the homes of Fatah officials in the Gaza Strip has prompted Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah to cancel his scheduled trip Saturday to the Hamas-ruled area.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports:

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has cancelled a visit to Gaza planned for Saturday after a wave of bombings hit Fatah property in the territory, government spokesman Ihab Bseiso told AFP. …

But early on Friday, at least 10 explosions hit houses and cars belonging to members of the Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Gaza, an AFP correspondent and witnesses said.

Hamdallah was to have met the incoming foreign affairs chief for the European Union, Federica Mogherini. Mogherini still plans to travel to Gaza and is scheduled to meet Hamdallah in Ramallah tomorrow evening.

In addition to targeting the property of Fatah officials, a blast also targeted something of symbolic value to Fatah. Reuters reports:

The explosions came days ahead of the 10th anniversary of the death of former Palestinian president and Fatah leader Yasser Arafat, a memorial that has lead to tensions between Fatah and Hamas, the Islamist group that dominates Gaza.

Senior Fatah official Abdallah Abu Samhadana said the Nov. 11 commemoration would go ahead despite the explosions, one of which targeted the wooden stage where the event is to be held.

According to AFP, “It is the first time in years that a public commemoration of Arafat’s death has been planned in Gaza.”

Hamas condemned the explosions, and a note taking credit for the attacks was signed by the Islamic State. But according to Reuters, “Fatah sources said they doubted the letter was authentic and more likely an attempt by attackers to spread fear and cover for their true identity.”

Despite the widely condemned unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas, in August Israel uncovered a Hamas plot to overthrow Fatah in the West Bank. A criticism of the Fatah-Hamas unity agreement was that it would allow Hamas to follow the “Hezbollah model,” whereby it would maintain “an independent military.” The abortive coup attempt was a manifestation of that strategy.

[Photo: euronews (in English) / YouTube ]

tt