NAZARETH, 11 Nov (JMCC) - Hamas broke up a rally in the Gaza Strip celebrating the life of Fateh founder and late Palestinian National Authority chariman Yasser Arafat, on the sixth anniversary of his death.
As current PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke in Ramallah to thousands reporters, back in Gaza, Hamas forces arrested more than two dozen Fateh supporters and censored Palestinian journalists. Israel's Foreign Press association condemned Hamas' attack on journalists at the rally, held in Rafah despite an ealier Hamas objection.
On Monday Hamas announced its decision to ban Fatah supporters from holding a rally in the Gaza Strip to mark the anniversary of Yasser Arafat’s death.
Hamas has done this every year since taking control of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007.
Zakariya al-Agha, member of the Fatah Central Committee, said the Hamas government had informed him formally of the decision to ban the rally.
Read more at the Jerusalem Post...