Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Fatah, Hamas assert common stand against “fifth column”

By Khalid Amayreh

"Al-Khalil - Representatives of Fatah and Hamas as well as community leaders in Dura, al-Khalil district, on Tuesday reaffirmed their common stand against “saboteurs and agent provocateurs” who are trying to spread the Gaza infighting to the West Bank.

“We affirm our united stand against these faceless and suspicious elements lurking in our midst and seeking to create divisions and spark off infighting in the service of Israel,” said a joint statement by Fatah and Hamas in the Dura region.

Local Fatah and Islamic leaders, who gathered at the municipal council Tuesday afternoon, jointly visited the village of al-Sirri, 5 kilometers southwest of Dura, to show solidarity with the Masri clan following an assassination attempt on Sunday by unknown masked elements on a member of the clan.

Salmaeh al-Masri, 30, was moderately injured in his knee when anonymous gunmen riding a car opened fire on him as he was walking out of the local mosque in the village following the sunset prayers.

Al-Masri, a teacher, was rushed to the al-Ahli Hospital in al-Khalil where he underwent an urgent operation. Treating doctors described his condition as “good.”

Al-Masri was released from hospital Tuesday.

Speaking at the Masri clan’s Diwan or reception house, Ziad Rajoub, Secretary-General of the Fatah chapter in the southern al-Khalil region, said all Palestinians and Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, were united against “those who spill Palestinian blood.”

“He who spills Palestinian blood bears full responsibility for his crime. We will not give criminals and spreaders of division any cover or legitimacy.”

He described the would-be-assassins of al-Masri as “scum and vermin.”

“We will not seek to beautify an ugly face, and anyone who has information on the identity of the attackers must convey it to the police immediately.”

Rajoub urged Palestinians, including political factions and ordinary people, to display “maximal vigilance and national awareness because the agents of the occupation are lurking in our midst for the purpose of destroying our cause.”

Ismael Awawdeh, Chief Engineer at Dura Municipal Council, said that both Hamas and Fatah shouldn’t allow a “bunch of mercenaries, suspicious elements to poison our life and create mischief and malice and mistrust among the brothers.”

“We should call these faceless criminals who open fire on our people here and there by their real name. These are agents of the Israeli intelligence, they are the enemies of our people, I say this regardless of the political title of the perpetrator or the victim.”

A Palestinian intelligence official who spoke at the rally urged citizens to notify the security apparatus of any suspicious individuals and to inform the police of any piece of information that could lead to the apprehension of the perpetrators.

Fakhri Amr, a community leader, warned “all actual or potential evildoers” that “you and you alone would bear responsibility for whatever fully you might commit against another person.”

“We are one family here, and we will not tolerate dragging this area to infighting and tumult,” he asserted."

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