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| Abbas tackles Palestinian tension | Abbas tackles Palestinian tension |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said a political solution is needed to internal Palestinian violence that has raised fears of civil war. | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said a political solution is needed to internal Palestinian violence that has raised fears of civil war. |
| Mr Abbas was speaking live on Palestinian TV after days of escalating tensions between Hamas and Fatah. | Mr Abbas was speaking live on Palestinian TV after days of escalating tensions between Hamas and Fatah. |
| He criticised the governing Hamas movement for not doing enough to ease tensions among Palestinians. | He criticised the governing Hamas movement for not doing enough to ease tensions among Palestinians. |
| Efforts to form a unity government have failed and there is speculation Mr Abbas might call an early election. | Efforts to form a unity government have failed and there is speculation Mr Abbas might call an early election. |
| 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. |
| 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="">Mid-East 'at critical moment' | |
| Hamas and the Fatah faction led by Mr Abbas have been unable to reach agreement so far on a national reconciliation government. | Hamas and the Fatah faction led by Mr Abbas have been unable to reach agreement so far on a national reconciliation government. |
| "Without a political agreement, security will remain disturbed," Mr Abbas said in his speech in Ramallah. | "Without a political agreement, security will remain disturbed," Mr Abbas said in his speech in Ramallah. |
| He pointed out that he had the right to fire the Hamas government which he blamed for the current crisis. | He pointed out that he had the right to fire the Hamas government which he blamed for the current crisis. |
| Hamas had refused to meet international demands to recognise Israel and renounce violence, which had led to crippling Western sanctions, Mr Abbas said. | Hamas had refused to meet international demands to recognise Israel and renounce violence, which had led to crippling Western sanctions, Mr Abbas said. |
| He said he had urged foreign governments, after appointing the Hamas-led government following the party's election success, to give the new cabinet a chance, but unfortunately a siege had instead been imposed on the Palestinians. | He said he had urged foreign governments, after appointing the Hamas-led government following the party's election success, to give the new cabinet a chance, but unfortunately a siege had instead been imposed on the Palestinians. |
| This had reduced the income of Palestinians by 51%, he said, with salaries unpaid for eight months. | This had reduced the income of Palestinians by 51%, he said, with salaries unpaid for eight months. |
| He also denied there had been a conspiracy to kill Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas this week. | He also denied there had been a conspiracy to kill Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas this week. |
| "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," a senior adviser Saeb Erekat said before the speech. | "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," a senior adviser Saeb Erekat said before the speech. |
| But it has been 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 has been 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. Mr Abbas tends to be more conciliatory than confrontational and he will be wary of inflaming the current tensions further, our correspondent says. | 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. |
| Hamas boycotted Mr Abbas's speech to the Palestinian parliament, in protest at "dangerous and bloody" recent events. | Hamas boycotted Mr Abbas's speech 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. |