Jan 24, 2009

Bethlehem – Ma’an – The Palestinian rival parties Fatah and Hamas on Friday traded accusations of each abusing the other’s supporters in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Authority’s official news agency Wafa published a report accusing Hamas of pursuing Fatah supporters, shooting them and abducting them. Meanwhile, the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Center (PIC) said that PA security in the West Bank arrested Hamas members.

Wafa reported that Hamas backed down on accusations that Fatah member Zahir Za’anin from the town Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, had collaborated with Israel but that report came one week late after Za’anin died after reportedly being tortured at the hands of Hamas “militias.” In this regard, sources in the Gaza Strip stated that Hamas withdrew accusations against Za’anin after protests by his family.

The sources explained that Hamas first accused Za’anin of treason, but his family and several others who knew the man protested vouching that he was a simple man, and so, Hamas retracted the accusations.

Za’anin died at Kamal Udwan Hospital during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, as a result of serious wounds he sustained through torture by Hamas men.

In the same regard, eyewitnesses claimed that Hamas forces abducted several Fatah personnel in the northern Gaza Strip preventing them from helping Gazans affected by Israel’s bombing. Hamas members also stopped Fatah affiliates from estimating the scale of damage in Gazan houses, and confiscated food aid.

The witnesses added that Hamas “militias” humiliated Fatah abductees and forced them to sign a petition that they will never practice any social or humanitarian role. Amongst abductees, according to (Wafa) were Salih Qaddas, Ahmad Al-Masri, Umran Abu Auda, Majdi Athamna, Tayseer Abu Auda, Ahmad Udwan and Nafith Kafarna.

Furthermore, Hamas members took control of the Fatah-affiliated At-Tahir foundation and kindergarten in Beit Hanoun. According to eyewitnesses, the foundation’s building became a center for interrogation and torture.

Separately, witnesses said Hamas gunmen shot in the feet two brothers, Ashraf and Abd As-Sami’ Uweida from the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City.

As-Sakani family, appealed to humanitarian organizations to reveal the whereabouts of “the fighter Zaki As-Sakani” whom Hamas men abducted five months ago.

For its part, the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Center accused the PA’s Preventive Security forces in Tulkarem in the northern West Bank of arresting nine Hamas loyalists including Imams, teachers and men who had been prisoners in Israel.

PIC quoted local sources as saying that preventive security officers stormed on Friday morning several homes and arrested Sheikh Azim Al-Haroun, Imam of Shweika mosque in his fifties, Bashar Al-Karmi, who works at the ministry of prisoners, lawyer Amjad Janim, Munthir Zayoud, a lecturer at Al-Quds Open University. Zayoud was released after hours of interrogation, while Janim remained in custody.

Furthermore, preventive security abducted Muhammad Sarouji, Ahmad Abu Zeina, Abdullah Khamis, Mu’ath Atteili and Rami Shilbaya, PIC added.