GAZA: Hundreds of Palestinians gather in the centre of Gaza calling for unity between Fatah and Hamas

Record ID: 212690

  • Title: GAZA: Hundreds of Palestinians gather in the centre of Gaza calling for unity between Fatah and Hamas
  • Date: 15th March 2011
  • Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (MARCH 14, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GAZANS GATHERING TO RALLY FOR NATIONAL UNITY MAN CARRYING PALESTINIAN FLAG VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN YOUTH PROTESTING AT GAZA'S MAIN SQUARE CALLING FOR UNITY YOUTH CARRYING SIGN READING "PEOPLE WANTS TO END THE DIVISION" PROTESTER CARRYING PALESTINIAN FLAG PEOPLE GATHERING FOR RALLY VARIOUS OF PROTESTER WEARING PALESTINIAN FLAG PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNERS READING IN ARABIC "I AM A PAINTER AND YOU LET ME HATE THE COLOURS; LET'S END THE DIVISION" " FOR THE SAKE OF MY BROTHER IN ISRAELI PRISON NO FOR DIVISION" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, BASEL MAKDOUSI, SAYING: "Our message to all the Palestinian leaders especially Fatah and Hamas is to end the division immediately." PROTESTERS AT DEMO YOUTH CARRYING SIGN READING IN ENGLISH "YES WE CAN" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, AMMAR ABED, SAYING: "We are demonstrating today in order to end the division; we are one country not two. We are one nation not two. We want unity, we want a country. We are out today in order to demand the government here in Gaza accept the reconciliation." YOUTH CLIMBING STREET LIGHT WEARING PALESTINIAN FLAG VARIOUS OF FEMALE PROTESTERS CARRYING PALESTINIAN FLAGS AND DEMONSTRATING PROTESTERS CARRYING SIGN READING IN ARABIC " FOR THE SAKE OF PALESTINE" FEMALE PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATING WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE OF SPOKESPERSON OF GAZA INTERIOR MINISTRY IHAB AL-GHSAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESPERSON OF GAZA INTERIOR MINISTRY IHAB AL-GHSAIN, SAYING: "The security forces will protect the unity of our people and will not accept ruin of it's capabilities; or ruin it's steady and it's security." GHSAIN LEAVING YOUTH CHANTING "PEOPLE WANT TO END DIVISION" VARIOUS OF TENTS WERE SET IN SQUARE TO PROTEST AGAINST DIVISION PROTESTERS CARRYING PALESTINIAN FLAG WRITTEN ON IT "PEOPLE WANT TO END THE DIVISION" MORE OF RALLY
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Gaza, Gaza
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABUUX3E3UF9M8SBDNNV8I66TNA
  • Story Text: Approximately 500 Palestinians demonstrated on Monday (March 14) in Gaza's main square, calling for reconciliation between Hamas Islamists who run the Gaza Strip and President Mahmoud Abbas's rival Fatah group.
    "The people want to end the division," the crowd chanted as Hamas police watched from the streets.
    "Our message to all the Palestinian leaders especially Fatah and Hamas is to end the division immediately," Protester, Basel Makdousi, told Reuters Television.
    Some of the protesters said they will not leave the square until the two parties sign a reconciliation agreement.
    "We are demonstrating today in order to end the division; we are one country not two. We are one nation not two. We want unity, we want a country. We are out today in order to demand the government here in Gaza accept the reconciliation," Ammar Abed said.
    Youth groups that promoted the event on the social networking site Facebook said they hoped thousands would join a wider demonstration scheduled for Tuesday (March 15) in Gaza and similar rallies in the occupied West Bank.
    Hamas which seized the Gaza Strip from forces loyal to Abbas in a brief Palestinian civil war in 2007; said that protesters will be protected as long as they do not harm public properties.
    "The security forces will protect the unity of our people and will not accept ruin of it's capabilities; or ruin it's steady and it's security," Spokesperson of Gaza Interior Ministry Ihab Al-Ghsain, told protesters.
    Organisers said popular revolts in neighbouring Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world had inspired them to act.
    Egyptian efforts to reconcile the two groups have made little progress.
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