Palestinian Police Ban Pro-Hamas Protests(in West Bank)

[tekisui]

Source: International Herald Tribune

RAMALLAH, West Bank: Palestinian police violently cracked down on protests organized by their rivals in Hamas throughout the West Bank on Friday as rallies against Israeli air strikes in Gaza turned into demonstrations against the Palestinian Authority.

Police of Mahmoud Abbas' Palestinian Authority pounced on demonstrators protesting seven days of heavy Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip targeting the militant Hamas movement.

Security forces particularly focused on anyone carrying Hamas' green flags, a telling indication of Abbas' determination to thwart any challenges to its own rule in the West Bank from Hamas.

Feelings are running high among Palestinians and across the Middle East against the strikes which have killed at least 400 Palestinians, including around 100 civilians, according to a U.N. estimate.

Abbas, together with his allies in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have blamed Hamas for bringing the attacks on themselves by repeatedly firing rockets into Israel. These criticisms, though, have angered many in the face of Israel's assaults.

"Abu Mazen is on the side of the Jews!" yelled 66-year-old Umm Maher at a small demonstration in east Jerusalem, referring to Abbas by his nickname.

Israeli police quickly dispersed the few dozen protesters in that demonstration, but elsewhere, it was the security forces of the Palestinian Authority stopping the rallies against Israel's actions.

In the southern West Bank city of Hebron, demonstrators who for decades had being throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers, now pelted Palestinian police after they tried to disburse 400 Hamas loyalists brandishing the movement's green flag.

more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/02/news/ML-Palestinians-Crushing-Dissent.php

[The Magistrate]

1. Ah, Sir, The Ever-Swirling Kaleidoscope Of Life....

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. Capitalization Does Not Confer Profundity.

[The Magistrate]

4. No, Ma'am, That Comes With Age And The Consolations Of Morbid Curiouity Long Indulged

Capitalization is simply was taught me in my youth for title of a missive....

[ProgressiveMuslim]

6. Evidently, age has not taught you

to be very courteous.

[The Magistrate]

7. As the Man Said, Ma'am

"Brave fellows, those soldiers --- always going for the thickest part of the fence."

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[azurnoir]

8. And Abbas is the man Israel reputedly is going to install

as leader of the Palestinian people, this should go over quite well.

I was listening to NPR earlier tonight and it struck that all of the "talking heads" no matter who they are seem stuck on the same 2 lane freeway Abbas or Haniyeh, Fatah or Hamas this is the route to nowhere. Why not a third way, why not a leader that the Palestinians can get behind which right now would seem to be either Marwan or Mustafa Barghouti.

[oberliner]

9. Abbas is the man Palestinians would elect

He led by more than 10 points in the most recent opinion poll.

He led both in Gaza as well as the West Bank.

[azurnoir]

10. This is from the poll you posted

Gap between Abbas and Haniyeh narrows: if new presidential elections are to take place today, Abbas receives 48%, Haniyeh 38%. If the competition was between Marwan Barghouti and Haniyeh, the former receives 59% and the latter 32%.

http://www.pcpsr.org/survey/polls/2008/p30e.html#head4

the gap between Abbas abd Haniyeh is 10 points but the gap between Barghouti and Haniyeh is 27 points and I would wonder if Abbas would do as well if the poll was repeated today.

[bemildred]

11. Why is Barghouti still in jail?

If one was actually anxious to have someone challenge Hamas, I would think that was the first step.

[azurnoir]

12. That would seem to make sense

however as a second choice his cousin Mustafa Barghouti might also be a candidate