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Hamas Military Unit to Operate despite Abbas Veto
The Hamas government on Wednesday afternoon began deploying dozens of members of a new security unit made up of militants, despite a veto by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.... Interior Minister Said Siyam of Hamas announced earlier Wednesday that the unit would begin operations [actually the unit has been operating for weeks without being formally commissioned]. "In line with my authority, I announce the beginning of the work of the executive unit that was formed recently to protect the security of the citizens and their property," Siyam told a news conference.... Tawfiq Abu Khoussa, a Fatah spokesman, called on Siyam to "retract a hasty decision that may lead our people to catastrophe.... In a separate incident Tuesday night, masked gunmen in the Khan Yunis area of Gaza shot and critically wounded another senior member of Hamas's military wing and wounded a second Hamas member, witnesses said. Vowing to punish the killers of the two Hamas gunmen, Hamas's Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades [actually it was Marwan Abu Ras] ,said Wednesday: "The identities of the traitors are known to us and we will chase them down ... and sever the hand that harms us." Posted by: mhw 2006-05-17 |
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