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| Hamas leader urges Gaza restraint | Hamas leader urges Gaza restraint |
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| The exiled political leader of Hamas has urged restraint to prevent civil war breaking out in Gaza and the West Bank between Palestinian factions. | The exiled political leader of Hamas has urged restraint to prevent civil war breaking out in Gaza and the West Bank between Palestinian factions. |
| Khaled Mashaal, based in Syria, said the Palestinians' fight was against Israeli occupation, not each other. | Khaled Mashaal, based in Syria, said the Palestinians' fight was against Israeli occupation, not each other. |
| His comments come after a week of escalating violence between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah. | His comments come after a week of escalating violence between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah. |
| Mr Abbas is expected to use a speech on Saturday to offer ways out of the cycle of violence. | Mr Abbas is expected to use a speech on Saturday to offer ways out of the cycle of violence. |
| One option might be to threaten early elections - an option already condemned by Hamas. | One option might be to threaten early elections - an option already condemned by Hamas. |
| There have been several bouts of street fighting since Hamas won a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections last January. | There have been several bouts of street fighting since Hamas won a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections last January. |
| Several efforts to form a national unity government have broken down. | Several efforts to form a national unity government have broken down. |
| Mr Abbas is leaning towards calling early elections, one of his senior advisers Saeb Erekat said. | Mr Abbas is leaning towards calling early elections, one of his senior advisers Saeb Erekat said. |
| Our fight is against the [Israeli] occupation and we will not let ourselves be drawn into a civil war Khaled Mashaal Hamas political leader href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6185209.stm" class="">Blair: 'Critical moment' | |
| "The president's choice is between bullets and ballots. He will choose ballots. Ballots are the only way to avoid the prospect of a civil war," he said. | "The president's choice is between bullets and ballots. He will choose ballots. Ballots are the only way to avoid the prospect of a civil war," he said. |
| But it is widely thought, though, that Mr Abbas is very unlikely to go so far as naming a date for early polls, says the BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza. | But it is widely thought, though, that Mr Abbas is very unlikely to go so far as naming a date for early polls, says the BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza. |
| He knows that Hamas would bitterly oppose what it would see as a Fatah faction manoeuvre designed to reverse the mandate it won in the election. | He knows that Hamas would bitterly oppose what it would see as a Fatah faction manoeuvre designed to reverse the mandate it won in the election. |
| Mr Abbas tends to be more conciliatory than confrontational and he will be wary of inflaming the current tensions further, our correspondent says. | Mr Abbas tends to be more conciliatory than confrontational and he will be wary of inflaming the current tensions further, our correspondent says. |
| Hamas has said it will boycott Mr Abbas' speech, which he is due to deliver at 1000 GMT to the Palestinian parliament, in protest at "dangerous and bloody" recent events. | Hamas has said it will boycott Mr Abbas' speech, which he is due to deliver at 1000 GMT to the Palestinian parliament, in protest at "dangerous and bloody" recent events. |
| Bad relations | Bad relations |
| Egyptian diplomats based in Gaza are trying to mediate between the two sides. | Egyptian diplomats based in Gaza are trying to mediate between the two sides. |
| They have stepped in a number of times before to calm the situation provoked by the chronically bad relations between Hamas, the largest faction, and Fatah. | They have stepped in a number of times before to calm the situation provoked by the chronically bad relations between Hamas, the largest faction, and Fatah. |
| But the diplomats' task may be tougher than ever, amid a sense that the current tensions are on a higher plane than seen previously, our correspondent says. | But the diplomats' task may be tougher than ever, amid a sense that the current tensions are on a higher plane than seen previously, our correspondent says. |
| Speaking from Damascus, Hamas's exiled leader Khaled Mashaal called for restraint to "protect Palestinian blood" and "Palestinian unity". | Speaking from Damascus, Hamas's exiled leader Khaled Mashaal called for restraint to "protect Palestinian blood" and "Palestinian unity". |
| We did not join this movement to become ministers but rather to become martyrs Ismail HaniyaPalestinian Prime Minister In pictures: Rivals clash Q&A: Palestinian crisis | We did not join this movement to become ministers but rather to become martyrs Ismail HaniyaPalestinian Prime Minister In pictures: Rivals clash Q&A: Palestinian crisis |
| In an interview broadcast by Hamas radio in Gaza City, Mr Mashaal said: "Our fight is against the [Israeli] occupation and we will not let ourselves be drawn into a civil war." | In an interview broadcast by Hamas radio in Gaza City, Mr Mashaal said: "Our fight is against the [Israeli] occupation and we will not let ourselves be drawn into a civil war." |
| The past week has been marked by attacks, counter-attacks and mutual accusations. | The past week has been marked by attacks, counter-attacks and mutual accusations. |
| Hamas blamed Fatah for a shooting that targeted PM Ismail Haniya on Thursday. | Hamas blamed Fatah for a shooting that targeted PM Ismail Haniya on Thursday. |
| Mr Haniya's car was attacked by gunmen while crossing into Gaza from Egypt, and one of his bodyguards died in the incident. | Mr Haniya's car was attacked by gunmen while crossing into Gaza from Egypt, and one of his bodyguards died in the incident. |
| A Hamas spokesman blamed a senior Fatah official, former security chief Mohammad Dahlan, for the attack - an accusation he rejected. | A Hamas spokesman blamed a senior Fatah official, former security chief Mohammad Dahlan, for the attack - an accusation he rejected. |
| The shoot-out at the Rafah border crossing led to more clashes on Friday, both in the West Bank and in Gaza City. | The shoot-out at the Rafah border crossing led to more clashes on Friday, both in the West Bank and in Gaza City. |
| Some 32 people were injured when Palestinian police loyal to Fatah fought Hamas supporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. | Some 32 people were injured when Palestinian police loyal to Fatah fought Hamas supporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. |
| Growing crisis | Growing crisis |
| Despite the tensions, Mr Haniya called for calm and unity among Palestinians at a rally on Friday marking the 19th anniversary of the founding of Hamas. | Despite the tensions, Mr Haniya called for calm and unity among Palestinians at a rally on Friday marking the 19th anniversary of the founding of Hamas. |
| Masked gunmen took to the streets as tens of thousands of supporters at a Gaza City stadium heard Mr Haniya vow to pursue those who attacked his convoy and bring them to justice. | Masked gunmen took to the streets as tens of thousands of supporters at a Gaza City stadium heard Mr Haniya vow to pursue those who attacked his convoy and bring them to justice. |
| He said Hamas knew who was responsible, but gave no names. | He said Hamas knew who was responsible, but gave no names. |
| The crisis in the Palestinian Authority has grown since Hamas came to power. | The crisis in the Palestinian Authority has grown since Hamas came to power. |
| Western donors have withheld aid payments in protest at Hamas's refusal to renounce violence or recognise Israel. | Western donors have withheld aid payments in protest at Hamas's refusal to renounce violence or recognise Israel. |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Reuters news agency she would seek tens of millions of dollars in extra funding to boost Mr Abbas's security forces. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Reuters news agency she would seek tens of millions of dollars in extra funding to boost Mr Abbas's security forces. |