Fatah moving against Hamas in West Bank

Jun 13, 2007, 17:31 GMT

Ramallah - Heavy infighting in Gaza spread to skirmishes across the West Bank Wednesday, with Fatah gunmen raided a Hamas-run television production company in Nablus in the afternoon and abducting 12 employees, witnesses said.

The abduction came after they engaged in street battles with Hamas militants in the northern West Bank city and came despite calls by local leaders to refrain from duplicating the serious Gaza fighting to the West Bank.

According to witnesses, dozens of Fatah gunmen attempted to force their way into the production company offices in Nablus but were stopped by Hamas gunmen. One passerby was seriously injured in the crossfire, said medical sources.

After the gun battle, the Fatah gunmen were able to break into the building and abducted 12 employees after ransacking the office. They threatened to kill them if Hamas did not halt its attacks on Fatah positions in Gaza.

Exchanges of fire also spread to al-Ein refugee camp in the city, leaving three Hamas gunmen lightly injured. In and near Ramallah, Fatah gunmen abducted a mosque preacher and set fire to buses of a Hamas-run school, Hamas said.

In Tulkarm, on the northern West Bank, armed Fatah activists marched in the city brandishing their guns and calling on Hamas to stop its attacks on Fatah positions in Gaza or face the consequences in the West Bank.

While Hamas is stronger in Gaza, Fatah, its gunmen and security forces have the upper hand in the West Bank, with its armed wing, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades strong especially in Nablus and Jenin.

Al-Aqsa had earlier in the day issued a 12-hour ultimatum, threatening to spread to the fighting to the West Bank if Hamas did not end its attacks on Fatah targets in Gaza.

It also released a video, showing masked gunmen beside a senior Hamas leader kidnapped in Ramallah, Muhammed Mahariq, who threatened to kill their captive if the attacks in Gaza did not stop.