Abbas insists will hold elections, truce unravelling
Source: Reuters
(Adds Fatah-Hamas prisoner swap completed, fresh Gaza clash) By Wafa Amr and Katherine Baldwin RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed on Monday to press on with early elections as a truce between his security forces and the Hamas government appeared close to collapse in the Gaza Strip. One Fatah activist was killed and at least 13 people were wounded in a series of clashes between Hamas and Fatah gunmen across the Gaza Strip. Gunmen also abducted members of rival factions, including a prominent Fatah leader and former cabinet member, who were later released in an exchange deal. "This ceasefire risks being blown away in the wind," said Fatah spokesman, Tawfiq Abu Khoussa. Internal fighting, already at its worst level in a decade, escalated after Abbas called on Saturday for early elections, a move intended to break a political deadlock which Hamas called a "coup" against its elected government. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking after meeting Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, said the international community should try to put together in the coming weeks a package of assistance to help the moderate leader. A truce struck late on Sunday in Gaza has barely lasted 24 hours. Medics said a Fatah activist was killed and 12 people were wounded in clashes in north Gaza, among them militants from both sides. Fatah and Hamas blamed each other for the clash in the Jabalya refugee camp. Sources in both groups also said eight Fatah activists and four Hamas members including senior official Emad Deeb had been released and handed over to third party mediators. Sufian Abu Zaida, a senior Fatah leader and former cabinet minister, was freed one hour after Hamas gunmen seized him in Gaza. Sources said he was freed at the behest of Damascus-based exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. NO SIGN OF BACKING DOWN In Ramallah, Abbas showed no sign of backing down from his election call, aimed at getting Western sanctions lifted. "As I told you in my speech, I am determined to go back to the people," Abbas said in a joint news conference with Blair. "We have been in a crisis for nine months. People cannot wait for long. People are suffering from the economic, social and security situation." Abbas said his Fatah movement was still open to the formation of a unity government of technocrats. In Damascus, Meshaal said the election call was illegal and said Hamas would take practical steps to stop early elections taking place using "peaceful, popular pressure -- not with violence", the BBC reported. Ismail Haniyeh, who became prime minister after his Hamas group won January polls, urged Abbas to withdraw his forces from Gaza's streets, saying their presence threatened the truce. Abbas's presidential guard had overrun two ministries on Sunday. The West has sought to bolster Abbas, who favours a two-state solution to end conflict with Israel. Hamas calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and has struggled to govern since in March under Western sanctions imposed for refusing to recognise Israel and renounce violence. Blair said aid, to go through Abbas's office, would include reconstruction and development aid. He did not give details. "If the international community really means what it says about supporting people who share the vision of a two-state solution ... then now is the time for the international community to respond," Blair said. "I believe this is so critical and urgent over the coming weeks." Blair later met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and discussed ways to revive stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The leaders declined to give specifics of any plans. Hamas and Fatah tried for months to form a unity government to end their power struggle, but the talks foundered, partly over Hamas's insistence on not recognising Israel. However, Abbas's election call could rebound on Fatah as the faction has done little to improve its standing and unite since being trounced by Hamas in January, analysts and officials said. Despite a drop in Hamas's popularity in recent polls amid an economic crisis and declining law and order, Fatah risks losing the presidency and parliament to Hamas -- assuming the movement takes part -- without serious reforms, the sources said. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Mohammed Assadi in Jerusalem)
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