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Factional feud sparks massive Gaza gunbattle

Gunmen attacked the convoy of the Hamas foreign minister and raided a training base of security forces allied with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in escalating factional fighting yesterday, one day after Abbas said he would end nine months of Hamas rule by calling early elections.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar escaped unharmed. But Hamas accused Abbas' Fatah Party of being behind the attack. Earlier in the day, in an attack blamed on Hamas, dozens of gunmen raided a training camp of Abbas' Presidential Guard, killing a member of the elite force.

The attack on Zahar's convoy unleashed a ferocious gunbattle that raged through the main streets of Gaza City for more than an hour -- the worst fighting between the sides since talks on forming a unity government broke down late last month. During the gunbattle, Hamas gunmen fired at Abbas' empty Gaza City residence.

A 19-year-old Palestinian woman was fatally shot in the chest during the gunbattle, medical officials said.

The officials said the woman, Hida Musabh, died from her wounds about an hour after she was shot.

Despite the violence, Abbas, who was in the West Bank, indicated that he is determined to push ahead with the elections.

He met with members of the Central Election Commission at his headquarters to discuss a possible date. The head of the panel said it would take at least three months to prepare new presidential and parliamentary elections.

Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, in his first public comments on Abbas' call for new elections, said Hamas would boycott a new vote and accused the president of trying to topple the government illegally.

"We confirm that the Palestinian government refuses the invitation to early elections because it is unconstitutional and could cause tension among Palestinians," Haniyeh told supporters at a Gaza refugee camp.

He called Abbas' speech "inflammatory" and "insulting to the sacrifices and the pain of Palestinians everywhere."

Independent experts are split over whether Abbas has the authority to call new elections.

Abbas' gamble could backfire. It could end up driving the Palestinians toward all-out civil war, strengthen Hamas and further put off peace efforts with Israel.

Abbas has suggested he is still leaving the door open to a national unity government with Hamas, though the angry exchanges between the two camps and growing factional violence made this increasingly unlikely.

A poll released yesterday placed Abbas and Haniyeh in a dead heat.
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