Mortars fired at Abbas's Gaza office, clashes grow

GAZA, Dec 17: Gunmen fired two mortar bombs at President Mahmoud Abbas's office in Gaza today after Abbas forces overran two ministries run by the ruling Hamas movement, as tensions spiralled between the key Palestinian factions.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, accused Abbas's security men of attempting a ''military coup'' by taking over the ministries. He demanded they leave or else be arrested, a move that could provoke further violence.

The mounting unrest followed Abbas's call yesterday for fresh presidential and parliamentary elections, a dramatic move that sought to lift crippling Western sanctions imposed on the nine-month-old Hamas government.

''What is happening is a real military coup, assassinations, attempted assassinations, the occupation of headquarters and ministries,'' a visibly angry Zahar told a news conference.

A Palestinian security source said two mortar bombs landed less than 100 metres from Abbas's office, wounding at least five members of his personal guard. The president was not in Gaza at the time.

Abbas's forces had earlier sealed off the area around his home in Gaza. They fought running street and rooftop battles with Hamas gunmen in Gaza City and elsewhere in the strip.

A 19-year-old woman was shot during an hour-long gunfight between Hamas and Abbas's Fatah group near the president's compound and later died of her wounds, hospital officials said. At least 15 other people were wounded besides the presidential guards in various clashes, including a French journalist.

Abbas's 4,000-strong presidential guard, backed by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, militants loyal to Fatah, took over the Hamas-run Agriculture and Transport ministries, moving to secure a swathe of central Gaza City.

Earlier, a convoy carrying Zahar was fired on, prompting a gunfight between his guards and the attackers. Zahar was unharmed in the attack, blamed by his aides on Abbas's forces. In his first public comments since Abbas called for early elections, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, said new polls could cause greater unrest and urged calm. Hamas has said it will boycott new elections.

''The Palestinian government calls on all people to show restraint and to alleviate tensions,'' Haniyeh said.

After months of factional violence that has raised fears of civil war, Abbas said early polls should be held as soon as possible. But he also said efforts to form a unity government should continue, despite repeated failure.

DAWN RAID

The security clampdown by Abbas's special guard followed a dawn raid by masked gunmen on a training camp they use in which one guard was killed and at least five were wounded.

The raid involved dozens of gunmen in uniforms similar to those worn by Hamas fighters, a senior member of the presidential guard said. Hamas denied involvement.

Today, Abbas met members of the Palestinian electoral commission to work on planning for a new vote, which officials said was not expected to take place until mid-2007.

Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, took office in March after beating the long-dominant Fatah in parliamentary elections, prompting the West to cut direct aid.

Hamas has insisted it will never recognise the Jewish state, making it unclear how any unity government could get off the ground and satisfy the West, which has demanded that Hamas recognise Israel, renounce violence and sign up to peace deals.

The Palestinian basic law, which acts as a constitution, has no provision for early elections. Fatah says Abbas can call them through a presidential decree. Hamas says that would be illegal.

In many respects, Abbas's move is a gamble as there is no guarantee Fatah would win any elections that are held.

However, a poll released today showed Fatah gaining popularity at the expense of Hamas as the crisis has deepened. It said that if elections were held today, Fatah would win 42 per cent to 36 percent for Hamas.

The poll also showed that 61 percent of Palestinians favoured holding early elections, with 37 percent opposed.

REUTERS