Fatah seeks weapons deal with Israel

Security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are seeking Israeli permission to import anti-tank missiles, grenades and other weapons to shore them up in their battle against Hamas, Israeli and Palestinian security officials said on June 7. The request came as a truce ending the latest round of Palestinian infighting wobbled, with the first deadly clash since a cease-fire took hold more than two weeks ago. A Fatah activist was shot dead in a clash with Hamas in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, and at least 19 other people were hurt in daylong battles that spread to Gaza City. A Hamas backer was blindfolded, handcuffed, shot in the legs and dumped on a street in Gaza City, and a Fatah militant was wounded by a grenade, security officials said. Abbas's Fatah controls most of the security forces, though Hamas is the dominant element in their coalition government. Frustrated by its inability to wrest the various forces away from Fatah, Hamas last year fielded its own armed contingent, the Executive Force, and clashes between the two sides followed quickly. Since May 2006, at least 198 people have died in the infighting. Fatah's main arm, National Security, boasts 30,000 officers, and thousands more belong to several other Fatah-linked militias. The Hamas Executive Force has about 6,000 armed fighters. But Hamas has had the upper hand in fighting over the past year. Most of the people killed in clashes were linked to Fatah. Analysts say Hamas gunmen are better motivated and organized than Fatah. With their request to Israel to allow more arms shipments, Fatah are ostensibly gearing up for the next round of confrontation with Hamas. On the list are armored vehicles, anti-tank missiles, grenades and millions of bullets. The apparent target of this proposed buildup, Hamas, did not comment about the reports. Israel is wary about adding to the weapons stores in the West Bank and Gaza. The Israelis are concerned the new weapons might fall into the hands of Hamas. In the past, Fatah has been wary of appearing to cooperate too closely with Israel, considered a common enemy by most Palestinians after more than six years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.