Palestinian Civil War Watch - 1

This is my first update on the subject since Saturday, December 16th and so much has happened.

A 19 year old woman was killed in the Gaza City battles between Hamas and Fatah.

Some one is lobbing mortar shells at the offices of Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. They missed. I'd say their training was inadequate. Here is what seems to be a more complete report of the attack. H/T reader Paul.

Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has a plan to get out of the fighting between the various factions. No mentions were made in the article of possible places of asylum or Swiss bank accounts. So maybe he has a plan to end the fighting. Or maybe not.

A French journalist was wounded in the cross fire of a fight between Hamas and Fatah in Gaza.

A cease fire is declared between Hamas and Fatah.

There was a gun battle outside the home of Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan less than an hour after a cease fire was declared. It must have been similar to the cease fires with the Israelis. Honored in the breech.

The brother of a Fatah member of the Palestinian Parliament was kidnapped. I'm betting this was part of a Hamas lobbying operation intended to influence legislation. Some hard lobbying that.

I guess the truce is officially over now that a Fatah supporter has been killed. He was killed in Jabalya in a clash between Fatah and Hamas. Five others were wounded. I suppose they didn't get the cease fire memo. Some one had better find out fast who screwed up the paperwork.

And finally (for now) a bit of good news (I think). A kidnapped Fatah official has been released.

Hamas officials reported Monday that Sufyan Abu Zaidah, a top Fatah official and former PA Minister for Prisoners Affairs, kidnapped earlier Monday, had been released.

Fatah spokesman said Abu Zaidah was kidnapped in Jabalya and transfered to Beit Lahiya. Abu Zaidah's son, Basel, said the kidnappers seized his father while he was on his way to visit a family of a Fatah activist who was shot by Hamas members.

The Hamas have not claimed any responsibility for the kidnapping, although Fatah believe Hamas operatives were the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, negotiations were underway to secure the release of ten more kidnapped officials.

I'm guessing that the ten kidnapped must include the brother of the Palestinian legislator mentioned earlier.

It is nice to see the Palestinians keeping busy. They are less likely to bother the Israelis. It is also nice to see them using their favorite tactics (kidnapping, murder, mayhem , and false cease fires) on each other.

Update: 19 Dec'06 0206z

It looks like kidnapping, murder, mayhem , and false cease fires are not the only anti-Israeli tacics they are practicing on each other. Now they have added prisoner exchanges.

That didn't take long. Shortly after the prisoner exchange violence has resumed

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to travel to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday for the first time since the outbreak of the latest cycle of violence in the Palestinian territories, PA officials said on Monday.

"Cycle of violence"? Quick, some one tell Charles Johnson.

Well, on to the heart of the matter.

Despite the cease-fire, sporadic violence was reported in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Hamas and Fatah leaders continue to trade accusations over responsibility for the latest flare-ups.

PA security sources said a Fatah activist was killed in the northern Gaza Strip during a shootout with Hamas gunmen. Another eight people were wounded during the clashes.

That may be a report of some earlier violence, hard to tell. It could also be something new.

"Hamas wants the calm to continue," said Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas in the Strip. "We also want to see all the weapons removed from the streets because this is in the interest of the Palestinian people. The security chaos and assassinations only serve the interests of Israel."

Barhoum also said Hamas was ready to resume talks with Abbas over the formation of a Palestinian unity government.

He wants the calm to continue. I wonder what he would consider aggitation?

Resume talks about national unity? I can just guess Abbas' response. "Who do they think they are negotiating with? The Israelis?"

Update: 19 Dec'06 0543z

The hits just keep coming.

A Palestinian was killed and four others wounded in renewed clashes in Gaza overnight Monday, Palestinian sources reported.

According to the report, the fighting took place between gunmen from Hamas' elite forces and security officers from the PA intelligence establishment.

It is now Tuesday morning in Israel (almost 8 AM local time). Israel is GMT plus two. GMT is the time zone I use for this blog - check my sidebar for a GMT clock, scroll down.

Reuters has a bit more definition in its report.

GAZA, Dec 19 (Reuters) - A gunbattle erupted between Palestinian police loyal to Hamas and Fatah fighters at the main hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, killing one person and wounding several, witnesses and members of the rival factions said.

They said the gunbattle occurred at the entrance and inside the compound of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, but could not say what triggered the fighting.

The person killed was reported to be from the Hamas side.

Well at least the wounded didn't have to go far to get hospital care.

I expect more reports on renewing the cease fire and the immanence of a unity government. However, there is only so much lipstick you can put on a pig before people notice it is a pig with too much lipstick.