WEST BANK: Ramallah protesters demand that Mahmoud Abbas fire the government in the wake of escalating violence in Gaza

Record ID: 561114

  • Title: WEST BANK: Ramallah protesters demand that Mahmoud Abbas fire the government in the wake of escalating violence in Gaza
  • Date: 14th June 2007
  • Summary: MORE OF DEMONSTRATORS AT RAMALLAH MANARA CIRCLE CHANTING
  • Embargoed: 29th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAQ21UGTVEYU67OXPVL8TTJSZ4
  • Story Text: Palestinian demonstrators and gunmen loyal to Fatah took to the streets on Wednesday (June 13) at the Manara circle in central Ramallah to demand that President Mahmoud Abbas fires the government.
    "We call in the name of the Palestinian people the Palestinian president to take his steps now, because wasting more time means wasting more Palestinian blood," deputy prisoners minister Ziad Abu Ain said.
    Some members affiliated with the Aqsa Martyrs brigade demanded the release of all Fatah hostages in Gaza and threatened to execute Hamas hostages at the Manara circle if there demands are not complied with.
    "At eight o'clock tonight local time, all the kidnapped will be executed at the Manara circle if the armed militant did not retreat from Gaza streets, and this is the last chance," a member of Aqsa Martyrs brigades said during the demonstration.
    Hamas Islamist fighters gained ground on Wednesday against forces loyal to Western-backed Abbas in battles for control of the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian supremacy struggle he termed "madness".
    Many of Gaza's beleaguered 1.5 million inhabitants called the conflict a civil war and Israel served notice their chances of achieving statehood could dim if Hamas emerged victorious over Abbas's Fatah faction, its partner in a unity government.
    At least 30 people were killed in the latest violence in which Hamas expanded its attacks to the central and southern Gaza Strip and blew up a Fatah security headquarters, seizing its compound.
    The day's carnage raised the death toll since the current surge of bloodshed began on Saturday to 78, hospital officials said.
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