Hamas considers withdrawing from inter-Palestinian dialogue_English

Abu Obeida (C), a spokesman for Hamas's armed wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, holds a press conference in Gaza City, on May 31, 2009. Six people were killed on Sunday when forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raided a Hamas hideout, just days after Abbas promised in Washington to fulfill his security commitments. The violence erupted when police encircled a house in the West Bank town of Qalqilya where a top Hamas field commander and his deputy had taken refuge, witnesses and security officials said. (Xinhua/STRINGER)
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GAZA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Hamas movement on Sunday said it studies to suspend participation in inter-Palestinian dialogue following the killing of its two members by security forces of president Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.

"We are now studying the suspension of our participation in the Cairo-hosted dialogue as part of the response to the assassination of two holy fighters in Qalqilya city in the West Bank," Salah al-Bardaweel, a Hamas spokesman, told reporters in Gaza.

Three policemen and a civilian were also killed in the armed clashes which broke off early Sunday between the two Hamas gunmen and the security forces.

A member of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security forces inspects the scene of a clash between the PNA forces and Hamas gunmen in the West Bank town of Qalqilya, on May 31, 2009. Six people were killed on Sunday when forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raided a Hamas hideout, just days after Abbas promised in Washington to fulfill his security commitments. The violence erupted when police encircled a house in the West Bank town of Qalqilya where a top Hamas field commander and his deputy had taken refuge, witnesses and security officials said.(Xinhua/Mahmoud Shanti)
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Al-Bardaweel reiterated that what happened was "a plot the Palestinian (National) Authority (PNA) and Israel planned to end the resistance and uproot Hamas," in the West Bank, ruled by Abbas' Fatah party.

Since Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and seized control of Gaza in 2007, the two sides clamped down against their political opponents, Hamas supporters in the West Bank and Fatah members in Gaza.

However, the shootout in Qalqilya was the deadliest incident.

The tension comes as Palestinian factions are initially scheduled to sign a reconciliation deal in Cairo on July 7. Prior to this, Egypt would continue sponsoring efforts to bridge the gaps between Hamas and Fatah that are still failing to agree on a unity government.

Abbas: Hamas unsettling stability in West Bank

RAMALLAH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday accused the Islamic Hamas movement for trying to unsettle stability in the West Bank which his Fatah movement controls.

Abbas warned in a statement published by the state-run news agency Wafa that his Palestinian security apparatuses "would strike with an iron hand on anyone who tries to unsettle stabilityin the West Bank." Full story

Fatah: Instead of fighting the PNA, Hamas should fight Israel

GAZA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- A senior West Bank Fatah movement leader slammed on Sunday the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, for planning to fight the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and its security forces.

"Instead of storing weapons and arms to fight Fatah movement and the Palestinian (National) Authority, Hamas should direct its arms to fight the real enemy, which is the Israeli occupation," Najat Abu Baker told Xinhua. Full story

Fatah, Hamas trade accusations over W Bank shootout

GAZA/RAMALLAH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Rival Fatah and Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Sunday traded accusations over armed clashes in the West Bank city of Qalqilya that killed six people.

Witnesses told Xinhua that three security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas, two Hamas militants and the owner of a building in which the Hamas gunmen took refuge, were killed in the gunbattle that lasted for nine hours. Full story

Fatah says 16 members arrested by Hamas in Gaza

GAZA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah movement's armed wing, accused Hamas security forces on Sunday of arresting 16 Fatah members in the Gaza Strip.

The group said in a leaflet that security forces with the deposed government of Hamas in Gaza had carried out a large campaign of arrests of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades members. Full story

Hamas says Abbas forces attack in W Bank "high treason"

RAMALLAH, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza on Sunday slammed Palestinian security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas over armed clashes with its militants in the West Bank city of Qalqilya.

Ihab al-Ghussein, Interior Ministry spokesman for the deposed Hamas government in Gaza, said in a statement that "the security forces attack in Qalqilya is a real high treason." Full story

Hamas holds Abbas responsible for West Bank clashes

GAZA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Hamas movement on Sunday blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah party for the killing of two Hamas militants during a gun battle in the West Bank.

Three Palestinian policemen and the owner of the house where the Hamas militants were based also died in the fierce clashes in Qalqilya city early Sunday, witnesses and security sources said. Full story

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