Israel Matzav

'Palestinian' Civil War Watch: Assassinations and early elections

'Gunmen' fired on the convoy of 'Palestinian Interior Minister' Said Siyam today in Gaza. There were no injuries. Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal dismissed the shooting as a 'random attack' and denied that the target was Siyam. The men, driving in a nearby car, apparently shot at a car in the motorcade, but not at the vehicle carrying Siyam, he said. In other words, they missed. I'm sure it goes on in your hometown all the time. Siyam is from Hamas, by the way.

The 'Palestinian Authority' Fatah has identified Hamas as the killers of its intelligence chief.

Palestinian sources said a PA state security court has accused Hamas operatives of killing Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al Mussa in the northern Gaza Strip. The sources said military prosecutors have drafted an indictment that determined that a Hamas force ambushed Al Mussa in the Palestinian refugee camp of Jabalya on Aug. 6, 2006.

"The suspects have been arrested and will go on trial," a Palestinian source said. "The trial will most likely be held in camera."

The indictment cited nine Hamas operatives. The prosecution said the Hamas members were employed by the new Hamas-aligned force in the Interior Ministry, called the Executive Force.

I'm just totally shocked.

And finally, 'moderate' 'Palestinian President' Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen has decided to call early elections in the 'Palestinian Authority, having given up on forming a 'unity government' with Hamas.

Abbas, who was speaking at an emergency meeting of the PLO executive committee, did not say when the vote would take place. But aides said the election could be held as early as March.

In response, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh warned on Sunday that early elections would lead to chaos, saying his Hamas-led government opposes "political tyranny."

"One should not violate the affairs of the Palestinian nation with various plans," IRNA quoted Haniyeh as saying. "Since the beginning of taking office, we have felt that some bodies have been daggering us from the back."

So here are my questions: What if Hamas wins again? And will Dhimmi Carter be invited back to supervise the 'elections'?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:31 AM