Fatah gunmen and police storm the Palestinian Parliament building-- Reuters

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Fatah gunmen and police storm the Palestinian Parliament building-- Reuters

Posted: 1/28/2006 3:17:10 PM EDT

Spotted this on Drudge:

By Mohammed Assadi
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Firing into the air, Fatah gunmen and police stormed Palestinian parliament buildings on Saturday in growing unrest after their long-dominant party's crushing election defeat by Hamas Islamists.

Hamas leaders meanwhile rejected as "blackmail" Western demands that it renounce violence against Israel or risk losing aid vital to the survival of the Palestinian Authority. Hopes of peacemaking with Israel have been pushed further into limbo.

Turmoil since the parliamentary election landslide has fueled fears of inter-Palestinian strife as Hamas tries to form a government and possibly take over security forces packed with Fatah loyalists at odds with the Islamic militants.

Thousands of gunmen from President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah held protests across the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, many firing automatic rifles into the air.

They took over parliament in the West Bank city of Ramallah for about 20 minutes, shouting demands from the roof before descending peacefully. Fatah militants and police also seized the parliament building in the Gaza Strip.

The gunmen demanded Fatah leaders resign. They also aimed to dissuade the party from any idea of sharing power with Hamas or letting it control security forces -- after Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal said it planned to form "an army".

"We will transform the army of the Palestinian Authority into armed militias. We are not waiting for Hamas to teach us their Islamic beliefs. We know the Koran by heart," said Fatah gunman Ramzi Obeid.

In Gaza, where eight people were hurt on Friday in clashes between Fatah and Hamas activists, the gunmen were joined in their protest by police opposed to any Hamas control over them.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz repeated Israel's vow not to negotiate with Hamas and to strike at its leaders if the group, which has waged a suicide bombing campaign against the Jewish state, broke a February truce.

Posted: 1/28/2006 3:37:14 PM EDT

[#1]

Are we supposed to be upset?

Posted: 1/28/2006 3:38:24 PM EDT

[#2]

If we're lucky, they will wipe themselves out.

Posted: 1/28/2006 3:40:03 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
If we're lucky, they will wipe themselves out.

Geez, we can only hope.

Posted: 1/28/2006 3:44:35 PM EDT

[#4]

Ooooo...I'm getting a jumbo popcorn for this one.
Fatah hates Hamas
Al Aqsa hates Hamas
Israel hates Hamas

How the hell did Hamas get elected anyways?
Surely Palestinians haven't forgotten what Israeli F-16's and D-9 Caterpillars can do already...

Posted: 1/28/2006 3:57:55 PM EDT

[#5]

The more they kill each other, the better the world will be.

Posted: 1/28/2006 4:14:05 PM EDT

[#6]

It would be something to see the Palestinians descend into absolute civil war and start using terrorist tactics against each other.

After all, if they can't even live peacefully with THEMSELVES, how in the hell are we supposed to expect them to live in peace with Israel??

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Fatah gunmen and police storm the Palestinian Parliament building-- Reuters

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