Empty Threats and Live Ammo

Fatah's Abbas is threatening to pull Fatah out of the Palestinian Authority. Big deal. Is that supposed to be a threat to get Hamas back to the bargaining table? That's exactly what Hamas would want - get rid of Fatah once and for all. Fatah's power comes from its participation in the quasi-governmental Palestinian Authority. It remains a terrorist organization, just as Hamas is a terrorist organization.

Fatah announced Tuesday afternoon that within several hours the faction would decide whether to stay in the unity government and the Palestinian Parliament with Hamas, or leave the Palestinian government altogether, Israel Radio reported.

The announcement coincided with a Hamas attack on the National Security headquarters in Gaza, an incident which followed a recent threat of such action by the extremist Islamic faction. National Security is one of the armed forces affiliated with Fatah.

Hamas also announced that Fatah must evacuate all buildings used by Military Intelligence, the Revolutionary Guard, National Security and Preventive Security.

Hamas and Fatah signed a truce and agreed on setting up a unity government in Riyadh under the auspices of Saudi Arabia in March, but gunmen in Gaza took to the streets on numerous occasions since then and internecine bloodshed never ceased completely.

If Fatah leaves, that means there is absolutely no reason for any government to provide the PA with economic aid since the only ones to get the funds would be Hamas.

Hamas and Fatah are engaged in a life and death struggle - a civil war. No one is safe, not Haniyeh nor Abbas. Abbas wont go anywhere near Gaza, while Fatah thugs have taken potshots at Haniyeh's offices in Gaza. They've even tried RPG attacks on Haniyeh. Everywhere you look in Gaza, thugs from both terrorist groups have been getting in to gunfights.

No place is safe. Not mosques. Not hospitals. Not government buildings.

The truce is a sham since neither side has abided by it for more than a few hours at a time, which apparently coincides with the time needed to regroup and rearm.

The kidnappings of various leaders on both sides continues. The latest was a Hamas thug captured by Fatah terrorists. Hamas has captured various Fatah positions in Gaza. Abbas states the obvious - claiming that Hamas is trying to take Gaza by force.

All that sounds like a civil war to me, and yet the media refuses to utter that phrase. Most curious. CNN calls it factional fighting, but notes that Hamas is calling Fatah collaborators with Israel. When all else fails, the Palestinians will find a way to blame Israel for the civil war of their own making.

The New York Times, meanwhile, also calls it factional fighting, and notes that the fighting has seemed to intensify.

Gunmen reportedly fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the home of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas today as the worst factional fighting among Palestinians in nearly a month appeared to intensify.

You think? The body count keeps rising, and the reporter can only claim it appears to have intensified?

Hamas and Fatah are gunning for each others leadership. They're slaughtering each other on the streets and tossing each others thugs from rooftops. I'd say that it has definitely intensified into a civil war.

UPDATE:
Despite the deteriorating situation and the fact that Hamas has gained the upper hand in Gaza, the EU is looking to release monies to the PA. Here's a clue for the EU. That money will never end up in the hands of those that need it most; it will: 1) line the pockets of the Hamas leaders; 2) be used to buy weapons for use against Fatah and the Israelis; 3) be squandered. It's throwing money into a black hole. No good can come from it, and yet the EU clings to the belief that if you throw enough money at the Palestinians they might moderate.

UPDATE:
Abbas is calling for a ceasefire, but if history is any indication, it will be short-lived, if it even happens at all.

UPDATE:
Loud explosions were heard near Abbas's offices. Hamas was firing mortars at the Fatah positions.

UPDATE:
Ed Morrissey points out another reason that the Islamists issued their fatwa preventing Muslims from leaving Gaza. If the civilians leave, it exposes the jihadis and terrorists on both sides to Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire without worrying about civilian casualties since they left of their own accord. Yes, the Islamists are that cynical about using the Palestinians as human shields for the terrorists in their midst.

UPDATE:
The Jerusalem Post is reporting that Hamas is mounting a major offensive against Fatah in Gaza. A Hamas tv station was under fire from Fatah forces. And the Palestinians say that this might derail the peace process. They say that with a straight face despite the fact that Hamas has always refused to recognize Israel's right to exist, and the Palestinians have never given a counter proposal to the 2000 Camp David accords with anything other than violence. They are not partners for peace, and now they can't even decide which terrorist group should lead them - the Islamists of Hamas or the more secular Fatah.

Meryl Yourish notes the spin cycle of the AP whitewashing the ongoing civil war and war crimes by the various thugs for Hamas and Fatah.

Omri at Mere Rhetoric has running updates of the swiftly deteriorating situation in Gaza.

Israellycool has been trying to separate the grievances and attacks by terrorist group. Also notable - the absolute silence by the usual suspects demanding an end to the hostilities because of human rights concerns. That includes the UN. You'd think that with the UNRWA involved in Gaza refugee camps, they'd say something about all the violence going on in and around those camps.

UPDATE:
Hamas has taken the Fatah-controlled security HQ in Gaza:

Hamas forces captured the headquarters of the Fatah-allied security forces in northern Gaza, seizing control of a key prize in the bloody power struggle between the sides, Hamas and Fatah officials said.

Hamas attacked the compound with mortars and automatic gunfire, and after several hours of battle, seized control, said Hamas commander Wael al-Shakra.

A Fatah security official confirmed the building had been lost. He said at least 10 people were killed and 30 wounded.

The attack was part of a full-scale assault launched by Hamas earlier Tuesday afternoon against Fatah security bases and positions in Gaza.

UPDATE:
Gaza is on the verge of becoming Hamastan. Actually, it's been there for some time - Hamas was overwhelmingly elected by Gazans, who had been fed up by Fatah's corruption and promises of defeating Israel. So, they were naturally predisposed to Hamas. Now, they've got to live the reality they've created for themselves - a hell on earth full of violence, death, and misery at every turn.

So, should the UN send peacekeepers to Gaza? Not a chance of that happening. No one wants to get their forces into this mess. The UN has thus far not issued a single comment on the matter in the past 48 hours, despite clear violations of international law - firing on hospitals and schools, putting civilians in harm's way, and assassination attempts on Haniyeh and Abbas. Not a peep from the usual suspects at the human rights groups as well. That seems most curious given that they'd complain if Israel launched a single missile or rocket against the Palestinian terrorists who had just fired on Israeli towns.

Israel doesn't want to get back into Gaza, but PM Olmert notes that someone may have to do so because Hamas operating freely there would be a terrorist safe haven open to operating with al Qaeda and other jihadi groups.

UPDATE:
If you've been injured in the fighting or are ill in Gaza, good luck trying to get medical assistance from the local hospitals. You're just as likely to get lead poisoning there as recover from your ailments/injuries. For more on the situation, see here.