In the Gaza strip, several political parties condemn the Monday violence that left seven Palestinians dead and scores more inured. In the West Bank meanwhile, Israeli forces kidnap eight civilians in the north of the region. These stories and more coming up. Stay tuned.

The Gaza Strip

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday declared three days mourning for those killed in clashes that left seven dead and at least 150 injured. In a statement faxed to the press, the office of the President condemned the violence and announced three days of mourning for the victims. Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad also castigated the Hamas movement for the attacks, stating that their punishment was now a "national duty."
Islamic Jihad on Tuesday also issued a statement condemning the internal clashes, indicating that the movement abhors any use of force against Palestinian civilians, and calling for a return to the principle of national unity. Several leftist parties also slammed the violence, with legislator for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Khalida Jarrar demanding that the perpetrators be punished to the harshest letter of the law.
In a gesture of respect for the dead, the coastal region held a general strike on Tuesday, with shops and schools across the Strip remaining closed. Meanwhile, Palestinian media sources on Tuesday afternoon reported that Hamas-allied security forces had begun to round-up those Fatah activists involved in the planning of Monday's rally. While no exact figures regarding the number of arrests have been released, early reports suggest that at least 100 people, including an advisor to President Abbas, have been seized.
The West Bank

Israeli military forces on Tuesday morning invaded the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Qalqilia, kidnapping at least eight Palestinians. Later on Tuesday afternoon, Israeli media sources reported that one man was seized near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem after allegedly throwing three Molotov cocktails at an Israeli building site.

The Israeli internal intelligence agency, known as the Shin bet, on Monday evening declared the Amnesty deal granted to approximately 170 members of the Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Brigades a success. The news followed earlier reports that the Palestinian Authority and Israeli government on Saturday struck a deal to extend the amnesty to an undisclosed number of resistance fighters.

The Fatah movement on Tuesday organized two separate rallies in protest against Monday's violence in the Gaza Strip. In Ramallah, scores of Fatah supporters took to the streets carrying black flags and banners calling for Hamas to halt its attacks in the coastal region. In Bethlehem, Fatah activists gathered in the city center before marching to the Presidential compound, where a series of speeches were delivered.

Sources at the protest told IMEMC that the Fatah Movement in the Bethlehem district issued a press statement demanding that municipality members of the Hamas faction be removed from their posts and barred from working for the Palestinian Authority.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, brought to you by John Smith and Ghassan Bannoura.