Does This Sound Like A Ceasefire?

Five dead and a dozen injured. That's what the Palestinian ceasefire sounds like. It isn't a ceasefire but a limited civil war. Both Hamas and Fatah are seeing just how far each can, or is willing to, go.

Rival gunmen took up positions on rooftops, some firing rocket-propelled grenades at each other. The sound of automatic gunfire could be heard throughout Gaza City, and a Fatah installation was attacked with mortar fire.

The fighting began after a member of the Fatah-controlled intelligence service arrived at the hospital with a broken leg. He was accompanied by two armed colleagues. Hamas gunmen guarding the hospital blocked the entry of the armed men and attempted to arrest them.

The fighting later spread to one of the main offices of the intelligence service, which was attacked by mortars and grenades, security officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

When more Fatah forces arrived on the scene, they were fired upon, sparking the gunfight, Fatah officials said.

And yet, Olmert and Jordanian King Abdullah think the time is ripe for a new peace initiative with the Palestinians. Sorry, but the Palestinians need to sort things out first. When they do, you'll have a much better idea of where they stand on a whole host of issues. Will they recognize Israel's right to exist, or are they going to continue the conflict until Israel is destroyed and supplanted by the Palestinians? Will they release Gilad Shalit without any preconditions or are they going to continue calling for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have Israeli blood on their hands? Will they continue inciting terror attacks or will they call for calm and the cessation of hostilities.

Thus far (and this goes back for decades), the Palestinians have preferred violence and terrorism to peace. That isn't changing anytime soon and all Abbas can do is make claims that he is for peace because he's been outmaneuvered by Hamas in the use of violence. Hamas is more willing to use violence as a means to an end than Fatah, so unless Fatah wants to engage in ever more deadly terror attacks on Israel, the only way Abbas can appear relevant to anyone is to appear to be the diplomatic one. The problem is that he has nothing to offer. Hamas is unwilling to join any government with Fatah that recognizes Israel's right to exist. Hamas got more votes in the last election, and will not give up that power. They do not want new elections since the last elections provided the results they wanted. Abbas thinks that new elections will strengthen his position, but with Hamas refusing to bite on elections, things are at a stalemate.

UPDATE:
MSNBC headlines their front page with Palestinians at war, but their inside headline on the story only cites others as stating that the Palestinians are at war. Still no mention of the dreaded civil war, but I'm guessing they're awaiting Matt Lauer's say-so.

The sound of automatic gunfire could be heard throughout Gaza City, and a Fatah security installation was attacked with mortar fire. Masked Hamas gunmen set up makeshift checkpoints on main roads, forces from the two sides took up strategic positions, and terrified residents remained indoors in anticipation of further fighting.

At least 18 people were wounded, including five schoolchildren caught in the crossfire of a gunfight, hospital officials said. A Hamas gunman was kidnapped and a top Fatah official's car was attacked by gunfire, the latest unrest in a week of factional fighting that shows few signs of easing despite Sunday's truce declaration.

The media continues to cling to the belief that if you repeat the word truce or ceasefire often enough it will actually mean something despite the sound of gunfire, mortars, and RPGs exploding all about. Hamas and Fatah are fighting a war - a civil war - and thus far it is a limited one because neither side really knows just how far they can take things. The assassination attempts were just the start.

UPDATE:
Hamas and Fatah were nice enough to fight the latest gunbattles close to a hospital, though four more Palestinians were killed in intense fighting.

Four people were killed and at least 18 were wounded in the violence, which swept away the remains of a tattered truce meant to end a week of fighting that has turned the Gaza Strip into a war zone.

Automatic gunfire echoed across the city, and a Fatah security installation was attacked with mortar fire. Masked Hamas gunmen set up makeshift checkpoints on main roads, forces from the two sides took up strategic positions, and terrified residents shut themselves indoors.

And the key fact that Palestinians should slowly come to recognize is that the Hamas and Fatah thugs don't care where the bullets fly - they are fair game even though they're civilians. They're cannon fodder for Fatah and Hamas terrorists.

UPDATE:
It's anarchy. Schools closed. The Palestinians reap what they sow. They wanted violence, and it is now visiting them in spades.

Schools have been closed in Gaza amid what officials say is a state of anarchy caused by fighting between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.

The education ministry acted after several children were among those hurt in a day of clashes that killed three.

Violence has flared since Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday called for new elections, a move the Hamas-led government branded a "coup".

Mr Abbas has called for all factions to respect a truce agreed on Sunday.

UPDATE:
You just had to know that there was a Zionist/US conspiracy behind the fighting between Hamas and Fatah. Haniyeh says that the US is backing forces to create a coup. Also, if it's impossible to count the number of gunfights in Gaza, you've got a full fledged war on your hands:

CNN's Ben Wedeman reported that he and cameraman Joe Durant were caught up in three clashes on the streets of Gaza City Tuesday and it was impossible to count how many gun battles had erupted across the region.

Gaza is 360 sq km.

Technorati: terrorism, nasrallah, fatah, haniyeh, Olmert, carter, Abbas, abdullah, jordan, PRC, Hamas, Gaza, palestinian, Israel, hizbullah, hezbullah, hezbollah, lebanon, syria.