Israel Matzav

'Palestinian' Civil War Update - 'Clashes' break out in Gaza after Abu Mazen announces new elections

Thanks to those who recognized me as the first to declare that the 'Palestinian' Civil War has begun.

The war got going in earnest this evening. 'Moderate' 'Palestinian President' Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen called this evening for early elections 'as soon as possible.' Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stopped playing his fiddle long enough to say that he 'respects' Abu Mazen and "hopes that he will have the capability to assert his leadership over the Palestinian people, and to bring about a government that will comply with the international community's principles." US Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice told al-Reuters on Saturday that she would ask Congress for tens of millions of dollars to strengthen Abu Mazen's security forces. And speaking in Cairo, British Prime Minister Tony Blair praised Abu Mazen for "signaling his determination to move on without them (Hamas) if they are unwilling or unable to play a constructive part."

"And I think this is the moment for the international community to come behind him to help build his authority and his capability," said Blair, who is on a tour of the Mideast.

I hope you will all forgive me if I cannot help but wonder why Olmert, Rice and Blair think that the Holocaust-denying Abu Mazen is any better than Haniyeh.

Regardless of what the rest of the world thinks, Hamas decided that Abu Mazen's speech was a declaration of war, and that's exactly what they're doing right now in Gaza. Immediately after Abu Mazen's speech, thousands of Hamas supporters 'took to the streets' in Gaza, and as of this writing some eighteen people have been wounded. "This is a real coup," said Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas hard-liner. (Zahar was talking about Abu Mazen's speech and not about what Hamas is now trying to do in the streets). "I think today Abu Mazen made history," said a top Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat. "We have a crisis. We have an authority with two heads. So what do we do? Bullets or ballots? Abu Mazen said ballots." Right.... (For the record, YNet is reporting twenty-one people injured: eighteen in Rafah, two in Khan Yunis and one in Gaza City).

But here's the funniest part (from the JPost):

His aides said they expected the vote to be held by the summer. In coming days, Abbas is to meet with the Central Election Commission to hear how much time it will need to prepare. Once he issues a decree calling for elections, the ballloting must take place within three months.

What's going to happen between now and the summer? What - me worry?

YNet reports that a security source close to Israel's defenseless Defense Minister Amir Comrade Peretz said in light of Abbas' declaration that "this is an important internal decision by the Palestinians which creates a new chance to renounce terror." What's he been smoking?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:27 PM