Azerbaijan, Baku, 14 November / Trend corr. U.Sadikhova/ Palestine's governing FATAH party will not interfere with possible military clashes between the HAMAS resistance movement and Israel, because that can entail a new large-scale war in Palestine.
"FATAH does not have troops in the Gaza Strip to use them against Israel," FATAH Spokesperson Fahmi Al-Zaarir said to Trend in a telephone conversation from Ramallah.
Israeli Air Forces attacked south of the Gaza Strip last week. As a result, six members of the HAMAS group were killed, tens sustained injuries.
"Confrontation between Israel and the Islamic Movement of HAMAS is inevitable. Therefore, Israeli Army must be vigilant and ready," Ehud Olmert, the Prime Minister of Israel's temporary Government, said during inspection of a military base nearby the Gaza Strip on 13 November, Xinhua agency reported.
FATAH, the governing party of the Palestine Autonomy, criticizes the beginning of military actions in Palestine.
"For us the Palestinian nation is united. Therefore, wherever Israel strikes blows, that may entail a new war in entire Palestine," said Fahmi Al-Zaarir.
According to Al-Zaarir, FATAH however will not take part in possible military clashes between HAMAS and Israel, because that will lead to a large-scale war among the three sides.
Relations between HAMAS and FATAH have been tensed for two years, and that many times entailed mutual arrests between the two Palestinian parties.
New clashes may cost HAMAS dear both in economic and human losses. But the movement's leaders will not allow FATAH to deploy troops in the Gaza Strip, Yossi Mellkeberg, an international policy analyst at Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs).
In 2006, HAMAS won the parliamentary elections in the Palestinian Autonomy. A year later, the movement took control of West Bank, driving out the FATAH members.
Despite that, FATAH is interested in a national dialogue with HAMAS. Last week Cairo was to host talks between Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestine Autonomy and the head of FATAH, and Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of HAMAS. However, the talks did not take place because HAMAS boycotted them due to arrest of 400 HAMAS supporters in the West Bank.
FATAH is unlikely to deploy troops in Gaza, even if it has the opportunity.
Had the national dialogue between the two Palestinian movements been efficient, a step forward would have definitely been made for reconciliation with Israel, said Palestinian analyst George Rishmawi, Director of the International Middle East Media Center.
For FATAH, the dialogue with HAMAS means stability in the relations of the governments of West Bank and Gaza Strip, and it means progress in the talks with Israel and signing of a new ceasefire agreement, Rishmavi said. In June, with the mediation of Egypt, Israel signed a ceasefire agreement with HAMAS and some groups of Gaza Strip for six months.
The Head of Palestinian Autonomy supports the extension of the agreement on temporary ceasefire between HAMAS and Israel, and proposes to the sides to sign a new analogous document, said the press secretary of FATAH.
The Minister of Defense of Israel, Ehud Barack, clarified the future of these confrontations, stating that the TSAHAL Army strengthens checkpoints on the border with Gaza to prevent attacks of HAMAS. Therefore, next month, when the period of this agreement expires, Israel will probably introduce army into Gaza, but this will not finish with complete occupation of Sector by the Israeli army, British analyst Mellkeberg said.
The Islamic Resistance Movement, organized in 1987, more clearly demonstrated its activity in the first Palestinian intifada in 1988. From the first days of formation, the basic purpose of the Movement is to liberate occupied Palestinian territories. After victory in parliamentary elections in 2006 and the taking Gaza Strip under control, the relations between HAMAS and FATAH spoiled.
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