But despite the sporadic violence, the shaky truce seems to be holding, as Palestinian citizens have poured onto the streets to protest the ongoing fighting.
As the war of words is replaced by armed clashes, each faction is now accusing the other of being beholden to foreign interests. During her recent visit to Ramallah, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged $20 million to build up armed forces that report to the Palestinian president directly. Days later, Reuters reported that the US was also giving $42 million to help support 'political alternatives to Hamas'. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13614140.htm
Hamas leader Khaled Mash'al has recently accused "some Palestinian parties", which he did not name, of receiving weapons and training from the USA, and said he has evidence to support his claims. It is "not for resistance," he added, "but to be used against other Palestinian parties." http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1965607F-366A-45DE-97D9-D13E2DDEA40B.htm
The Economist reported on 4 November that the US is financing a "training camp" near the West Bank city of Jericho for new recruits for Abbas’s presidential guard, in order to expand it into a force possibly numbering tens of thousands that would be able to take on Hamas.
On the other hand, Iran, which supports Hamas, has pledged to give Palestinians $250 million in aid, some in direct funding for the government and another portion in agricultural subsidies and development.
Meanwhile, the killing, assassination and abduction of Palestinians by Israeli forces continue. See these recent reports from the International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) and Palestine News Network (PNN):
Israeli Army attacks several West Bank areas and abducts 24 Palestinian men
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23327/1/
Israeli Air-force targets fighters in Gaza
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23308/1/
Israeli Army Assassinates Two More Palestinians in the West Bank
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23298/1/
Army abducts eight Palestinian men including three brothers from Hebron
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23273/1/
Palestinian killed by Israeli military fire near Salfit
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23206/1/
Human rights report: Israeli forces killed 9 Palestinians this week
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1266
Israeli policy of targeted assassinations on the rise this week
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1261
Comments
Display the following comment