頑張れパレスチナ！（第２版）

◇Internal unrest adds to pressure on Abbas
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/d0441d1c-8d1c-11d9-9d37-00000e2511c8.htm l
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By Sharmila Devi in Jerusalem
Published: March 5 2005 02:00 | Last updated: March 5 2005 02:00

Mahmoud Abbas, the Pales-tinian president, faced further internal unrest yesterday as militants fired at a police station in the second violent incident this week between the Palestinian Authority and armed groups.

Yesterday's gunfight involved militants from the al-Adwa Brigades, part of Mr Abbas's Fatah faction, at the police station in the West Bank city of Nablus.

Mr Abbas is trying to curb militant activity following a ceasefire agreed with Israel last month. However, talks with Israel have stalled after a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last week, and he is also facing opposition from reformers within Fatah.

Some 32 Fatah leaders who are part of the "young guard" resigned yesterday in protest against mismanagement. The move came as Palestinians prepare for parliamentary elections in July, in which the rival group Hamas is expected to pose a strong challenge.

"The young guard have decided to take the initiative to salvage Fatah," said Ahmed Ghneim, one the leaders who quit. "This step is not aimed at confronting the old guard, rather it is an attempt to save Fatah from disintegration."

Mr Abbas played down this week's violence, partly blaming the continued Israeli military presence in the Palestinian territories. "As long as the Israeli army is in the Palestinian West Bank, there will be breaches and we will deal with it," he said yesterday.

Earlier in the week, militants in Jenin provoked a gunfight to mark their displeasure with a visit by a PA minister.
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