(Ha'aretz) Danny Rubenstein - The backdrop to the exchanges of gunfire in the Gaza Strip is an attempt by the PA to enforce the decision to ban the carrying of arms in public. The clashes Sunday between Hamas men and PA police were some of the fiercest ever seen in the Strip, but the flare-up appears localized, and not a precursor for a civil war. The decision by the PA to ban the carrying of weapons in public has widespread support in the Strip. "After all, the Israeli occupation of Gaza has ended, and there's no longer any need to walk through the street carrying arms," a Palestinian journalist said. In addition, public anger against Hamas, in the wake of a rally at which an explosion led to the death of 19 people including children, prompted PA leader Mahmoud Abbas to begin to implement the decision.
2005-10-03 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive