Abbas insists will hold elections, truce threatened

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec 18: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed today to press on with early elections as a truce between his security forces and the Hamas government began to unravel in the Gaza Strip.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking after meeting Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, said the international community should try to put together in the coming weeks a package of assistance to help the moderate leader.

Internal fighting, already at its worst level in a decade, escalated after Abbas called on Saturday for fresh elections, a move intended to break a political deadlock with the Hamas Islamists and get Western sanctions on their government lifted.

A truce deal was struck late on Sunday but already looks as though it could collapse.

Gunmen killed an activist from Abbas's Fatah faction and wounded eight others in north Gaza, Fatah sources and a hospital official said. Fatah blamed the attack in the Jabalya refugee camp on Hamas. The Islamists said Fatah opened fire first.

A Palestinian security source said Hamas gunmen abducted nine Fatah activists during the day. Hamas said the abductions were triggered when Fatah abducted one of its members.

In Ramallah, Abbas showed no sign of backing down.

''As I told you in my speech, I am determined to go back to the people,'' Abbas said in a joint news conference with Blair.

''We have been in a crisis for nine months. People cannot wait for long. People are suffering from the economic, social and security situation.'' Abbas said his Fatah movement was still open to the formation of a unity government of technocrats. Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas reiterated his movement's opposition to fresh elections. Hamas surprised the once-dominant Fatah to win polls in January.

Haniyeh also urged Abbas to withdraw his forces from Gaza's streets, saying their deployment was threatening the truce.

Officials from Hamas and Fatah were expected to meet today night to try to reinforce the Gaza ceasefire.

Abbas's presidential guard overran two Hamas-led ministries on Sunday and have also taken up positions around Abbas's compound and residence in Gaza.

WEST SUPPORT FOR ABBAS

The West has sought to bolster Abbas, who favours a two-state solution to end conflict with Israel.

Hamas seeks the Jewish state's destruction and has struggled to govern since taking office in March under the weight of Western sanctions imposed because of its refusal to recognise Israel and renounce violence.

Blair said the package of assistance, to go through Abbas's office, would include reconstruction and development aid. He did not give details.

''If the international community really means what it says about supporting people who share the vision of a two-state solution ... then now is the time for the international community to respond,'' Blair said.

''I believe this is so critical and urgent over the coming weeks.'' Blair was holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today evening.

Abbas and senior Hamas leaders all called for calm. But their appeals appeared to be falling on deaf ears.

In other violence, two people were wounded in gunfights, while unknown gunmen earlier abducted a Fatah loyalist in Gaza City. Interior Ministry police briefly exchanged fire with Abbas's presidential guard near the Foreign Ministry.

Hamas and Fatah tried for months to form a unity government to end their power struggle, but the talks foundered, partly over Hamas's insistence on not recognising Israel.

However, Abbas's election call could rebound on Fatah as the faction has done little to improve its standing and unite since being trounced by Hamas in January, analysts and officials said.

Despite a drop in Hamas's popularity in recent polls amid an economic crisis and declining law and order, Fatah risks losing the presidency and parliament to Hamas -- assuming the movement takes part -- without serious reforms, the sources said.

REUTERS