Thugs Slugging It Out

Hamas and Fatah thugs are continuing their running gunfights for a second consecutive day. At least eight have been killed and 30 wounded in the fighting between Fatah and Hamas.

Sunday's violence - with five dead and 18 injured - was the worst in a single day since February.

Egyptian mediators brokered a deal to get armed men off the streets and have hostages released, but fighting erupted again within hours.

Three people were killed and at least 10 wounded as rival factions exchanged fire on Monday morning.

Up to 400 people have died in clashes between the two factions since the militant Hamas movement won last year's parliamentary elections.

Now, there are reports that a Fatah convoy carrying US-made weapons was ambushed and commandeered by Hamas. Weapons that should have never been given to Fatah have now made their way into the hands of Hamas. Great. I have a real bad feeling about that.

"We obtained the US weapons and will keep hijacking any assistance the Americans provide to Fatah. Our fighters are aware of the American and Israeli conspiracies to topple our government. We're trained and well prepared to defeat the American-backed (Palestinian) agents," said a top member of Hamas' military wing in the Gaza Strip.

According to Israeli and Palestinian security officials and Hamas sources, Hamas militias have taken almost complete control of the northern Gaza Strip in recent months, including areas from which rockets are regularly launched from the territory into nearby Jewish communities.

Well, everyone agrees that Hamas is in control of northern Gaza, which should make it easier for Israel to tell Hamas that if they don't release Shalit and stop firing on Israel, they will not only reenter Gaza in force, but will retake Northern Gaza, destroy Hamas as an entity once and for all, including members of the terrorist organization, including those in the so-called unity government, and take whatever steps are deemed necessary to restore order to Gaza. The Palestinians have no interest in law and order, let alone peace, so it will likely fall to Israel to do so.

The problem is that the Olmert government has punted on the issue of security for residents of Israel near the Gaza border. The government has not taken the rocket attacks seriously enough and that oversight has given the Palestinians the tacit knowledge that they can fire on Israel regularly with impunity.

The US and the West must stop sending all money and weapons to the PA. Period. No aid to Fatah, which is either using the money for its own nefarious purposes, or is unable to hold onto the money and equipment because Hamas is taking the weapons.

No aid should go to Hamas either. Period. Seal off the territories to the entry of all weapons, and any weapons that are discovered should be destroyed.