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| By Associated Press May 26, 2006 |
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The Islamic militant Hamas government withdrew its militia from the streets of Gaza on Friday, pulling back from an increasingly bloody confrontation with security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas.
The conciliatory signal came as Hamas grappled with Abbas' ultimatum that it either accept a Palestinian state alongside Israel -- and implicitly recognize the Jewish state -- or be challenged in a national referendum. Hamas appeared divided, with some threatening to fight the referendum idea and others in the group embracing it.
The power struggle between Hamas and Abbas has intensified in recent weeks, marked by street fighting that left 10 dead and dozens wounded. Abbas' bold challenge to Hamas, in giving the group 10 days to moderate or face a referendum, could either resolve the standoff or drive the political rivals toward even bloodier conflict.
In other developments Friday, three Palestinian teens, ages 15-19, were killed and a fourth was seriously wounded in an explosion in northern Gaza. Palestinian medics initially said they were killed when an Israeli artillery hit a house, but the Israeli military said youths were handling explosives.
Relatives of the teens said they had found two unexploded Israeli tank shells and were trying to dismantle them to sell the explosives when the blast went off.
Also Friday, a Palestinian farmer was killed by Israeli artillery fire on northern Gaza, hospital officials said. Israel frequently fires artillery in response to rocket fire from Gaza.
Hamas sent mixed signals to Abbas on Friday. It ordered its 3,000-strong militia off the streets, two weeks after first deploying the gunmen in a challenge to the regular security forces allied with Abbas. Hamas officials said Friday the unit was temporarily withdrawing to six bases, but insisted it would not be disbanded.
Palestinian security forces took over the positions left behind by the militia, including a sandbagged post near the Egyptian Airlines office in Gaza City. Only a few dozen militiamen appeared in the streets Friday, protecting Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh as he attended noon prayers in the Jebaliya refugee camp near Gaza City.
Hamas, Fatah and other Palestinian factions agreed in talks Friday to cool tensions that they would form a committee to work out their differences, officials said.
Haniyeh reacted coolly Friday to Abbas' threat to hold a referendum on a document drafted by senior militants from Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement, who are serving time in Israeli jails. The document calls for a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, the areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War.
Haniyeh said that since a parliament election was held just four months ago, there was no need for a referendum. "We are moving according to our vision and political program, and the decision of the people," he said. "And the people decided at the ballot box."
Hamas is pledged to Israel's destruction. The Hamas government has rejected international demands that it recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing interim peace deals.
Haniyeh said he'd discuss the referendum idea with Abbas in coming days, and check the legal issues.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Abbas does not have the authority to call a referendum, while senior Fatah officials said Abbas can call such a vote by presidential decree. The legal dispute is likely to escalate should Hamas decide to fight a referendum.
Abbas, elected separately last year, has been seeking to curb Hamas' power, removing authority over security forces from the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry and asserting that he has the authority to conduct peace negotiations with Israel.
In response, Hamas formed the new security unit in defiance of Abbas. The rifle-toting gunmen, wearing black T-shirts, khaki vests and camouflage pants, took up positions on street corners and busy intersections last week.
Hamas officials said the force was needed to ensure quiet in the chaotic Gaza Strip. But the deployment set off more than a week of clashes with Fatah-dominated security forces in Gaza.
Reflecting Israeli concerns about the situation, officials confirmed Friday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz agreed to permit Abbas to obtain new arms to beef up his presidential guard. Israel normally opposes any arms entering the Palestinian areas, fearing they will be used against Israel.
Amos Gilad, a top Defense Ministry official, said the arms would come from a third country, not Israel.
"I can't tell you the exact amount of weapons, but it is a limited amount intended for the purpose of securing Abbas' ability to protect himself on the backdrop of the important decisions he makes," he told Israel Radio.
Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said the Israeli claim that it was allowing weapons to come in from a third country was "baseless," though he conceded there are concerns for Abbas' safety in the current environment. He said Israel should not meddle in internal Palestinian affairs.
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