Monday, September 22, 2008

Abbas's officers and their Israeli counterparts classify Hamas as common foe


"OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- An Israeli journalist revealed Sunday that a meeting took place between Fatah-affiliated PA security officers and their Israeli counterparts during which the two sides agreed on waging a fierce war on the Hamas Movement as the common enemy.

Journalist Nahum Barnea, a senior commentator in the Yediot Ahronot, said that he was the only journalist who was allowed to attend the meeting held last week at the IOF headquarters in the Beit Eil settlement near Ramallah.

Barnea underlined that the talk was briefly about a violent confrontation between Hamas and Fatah that is expected to take place in January to control the West Bank.

"On the ninth of January, Mahmoud Abbas's term of office will expire; he is determined to stay in office until January 2010. The possibility of declaring Gaza a rebel region must not be ruled out," a PA officer was quoted as saying.

According to the journalist, commander of PA general security apparatus, Abu Al-Fateh told Israeli officers that there is no conflict between Fatah and Israel because both have a common enemy. "There is a major conflict going on here in preparation for the month of January. Abbas is peace-oriented, and you have to promote his position", Abu Al-Fateh said.

The PA officers also agreed on sending Fatah-affiliated military group from Jericho to Al-Khalil, suggesting that the group should move to Al-Khalil at night Friday in order to avoid any confrontation with Israeli settlers.

For his part, PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj blatantly said: "Hamas is the enemy. We decided to wage a war against it and I am telling you, there will be no dialog with Hamas." "Now, We are dealing with every Hamas institution you send its name to us. You gave us lately names of 64 institutions and we have dealt with 50 of them. Some of these institutions were closed and in others, the administrations were replaced," Faraj added, bragging that the PA security apparatuses also seized Hamas funds.

For his part, another PA official called Hussein Al-Sheikh pointed out during the meeting that Hamas does not have military force in the West Bank, but it has the ability to bring the Palestinian masses to the street....... "

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