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Al Aksa militant (photo: Flash90)
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| By Israel Insider staff August 22, 2007 |
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Fatah's armed wing, the Al-Aksa Martyrs' Brigade, on Tuesday called on its members to rearm, announcing that it would no longer honor agreements with Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post. The group's calls are in direct violation of Israel's deal to grant amnesty to 270 fugitives, granted that they relinquish their weapons and agree to refrain from terrorism against the Jewish state.
The decision followed the arrest on Monday of two Fatah gunmen, Iyad Bisharat and Ahmed Abu Jalboush, who had reportedly been pardoned by Israel, according to the Aksa Brigade.
"We call on all our members who handed over their weapons to the Palestinian security forces to report to their commanders so that they can be issued new weapons," said a leaflet distributed in Ramallah.
However the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Israel had abandoned the deal in early August when only 60 percent of the gunmen surrendered their weapons.
Meanwhile, the PA claimed Israel had pardoned another 110 Fatah fugitives in the West Bank earlier this week- a claim that Israel denied.
The Fatah militia said it warned against Israel's "plot" to confiscate the group's weapons from members in the West Bank.
"We call on all our members to display caution and not to be deceived by the so-called amnesty from Israel," an Aksa leaflet read. "We will no longer honor the agreements that were reached with Israel over the issue of the wanted men. We won't hand over our guns. This is a lie designed to split the Palestinian resistance."
Al Aksa's decision could have serious repercussions for PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' already shaky standing in the West Bank. The group is calling on the PA to react.
Israel condemned the calls to rearm the militia as counterproductive and destructive.
"Israel expects the Palestinian Authority to take proper steps to root out terrorism against Israel, and to work with Israel to chart a more promising future for both sides," an official in the Prime Minister's Office said. "Incitement such as this only serves to ratchet up the situation, and would only harm the chances for progress between both peoples."
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