Palestinians free Hamas militant (BBC) 05/03/05 11:07 GMT 12:07 UK)
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The Palestinian Authority has released a Hamas militant who was
arrested in Gaza overnight following a gun battle.
The arrest sparked tension between the Palestinian security forces
and Hamas, and Egyptian officials were called in to mediate a
solution, Hamas said.
The PA said its forces exchanged fire with three Hamas men suspected
of trying to fire missiles at a Jewish settlement or a nearby Israeli
Hamas denied preparing an attack and called for protests over the
The message for Hamas supporters to take to the streets was broadcast
from mosques´ loudspeakers.
Risk of unrest
The BBC´s Alan Johnston in Gaza says the events on Monday night show
that any attempt by the PA to enforce the ceasefire by confronting
the powerful, well-armed Hamas movement risks sparking serious
Hamas has not endorsed the truce, but it has agreed to rein itself
in. The movement has launched occasional attacks in response to what
it says have been Israeli army truce violations.
About 16 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire
came into force in February.
The incident, near the northern town of Beit Lahiya, coincided with
renewed Israeli calls for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to disarm
militants under the terms of the international peace plan known as
"There will be no new transfer of control as long as the question of
the wanted terrorists is not addressed by the Palestinian Authority,
which has not disarmed them," Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz told
Israeli public radio.
Israel has agreed in principle to hand security control for five West
Bank towns back to the Palestinians, but so far only two transfers
have taken place, in Jericho and Tulkarm.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has told two senior US politicians
visiting Israel that Mr Abbas was not taking significant steps to
tackle hardline groups.
"Instead of disbanding the terrorist organisations, he is acting to
strengthen them. He is not willing to fight them and is similarly
unwilling to disband their infrastructures," Mr Sharon said.
An Israeli soldier and a member of Islamic Jihad died in a shootout
near Tulkarm on Monday.
The incident came after the Israeli military entered the area for the
second day in a row.
Islamic Jihad said it carried out a rocket attack from Gaza at the
Israeli town of Sderot in retaliation.
The rocket attack came shortly before the Palestinian security forces
confronted the Hamas patrol - and correspondents say they may have
mistakenly believe the patrol was responsible.
A Palestinian security official said police found rockets in the
vehicle the Hamas men were using. (© BBC MMV 05/03/05)
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