 A group of Palestinian fighters have seized bulldozers and smashed through the border wall between Gaza and Egypt, Aljazeera and agencies report quoting Palestinian security officials at the border. The fighters who stormed the border are said to be angry at the jailing of their leader by the Palestinian police.
| When you're above the law, the law can just keep its fat mitts off you or suffer the consequences... |
The men, from al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an offshoot of the Fatah party, decided on Wednesday to attack the border wall hours after rampaging through Rafah, closing the border crossing and occupying four government buildings.
| This is a condition known in the trade as "anarchy." |
Soon afterwards, Egyptian security forces beefed up their presence at the site to prevent thousands of Palestinians who had gathered at the other side from crossing the border, Aljazeera reports. Witnesses said Egyptian security personnel fired into the air to force Palestinians back to the Palestinian side of Rafah.
| I guess they haven't forgotten the Sudanese deaders yet. Give it another week... |
The border drama began when about 50 al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades hard boyz cadres stormed the Rafah municipality headquarters and seized one of its bulldozers, Aljazeera's Gaza correspondent Wail al-Dahduh said.
| Would that be the Rachel Corrie Memorial bulldozer? |
One of the fighters then drove the bulldozer towards the wall separating the Egyptian and Palestinian sides of Rafah, while the rest of the fighters followed him, he said. The fighters then started ramming a section of this wall. Some of them were trying to smash other parts of the border wall, al-Dahduh reported.
| They quickly discovered it works better when you have a bulldozer... |
Another group of Brigades fighters closed the road leading to and from the Rafah terminal's outer gate, blocking traffic in the area. The fighters also planted explosives and placed mortar shells at the entrance of the crossing. Watching the operation was a large crowd of Palestinians, but Palestinian Authority security official personnel were conspicuous by their absence.
"Chief! Chief! There's a riot at Rafah Crossing!"
"Ummm... I got an appointment for a manicure..."
"Me, too!" |
Hours earlier, Aljazeera's correspondent reported that gunnies fighters had blocked access to the Gaza-Egypt border and prevented travellers from reaching the crossing point. An estimated 40 masked snuffies fighters from the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades also stormed the headquarters of the Palestinian legislative council and the electoral central committee in Rafah.
"Youse can't come in here! We're makin' laws!"
"What're those?"
"Kinda like sausage. I think." |
Before that, the armed group stormed the headquarters of the Interior Ministry in the city in protest against the arrest of their colleague by Palestinian security forces on Tuesday over suspected involvement in the abduction of three Britons last week. On Tuesday, Palestinian intelligence arrested Alaa al-Hams on suspicion he and his followers kidnapped human-rights activist Kate Burton and her parents for two days last week.
"Stick 'em up, Alaa! We suspect you kidnapped the crazy Brit lady!"
"Piss off, coppers!"
"Are those her underwear?"
"No! They're mine!" |
The Burtons were among 19 foreigners abducted by Fatah fighters in Gaza in recent months. All have been freed unharmed.
| But the al-Aqsa Martyrs did look very fearsome and got some of them on film for their folks to admire... |
 On Wednesday morning, some of the armed men took over the central election office in Rafah, the local branch of the Palestinian parliament, a local court and another government building. A truckload of armed men then drove to the nearby Rafah border crossing, Gaza's main gate to the world. Having gun sex Firing in the air, they closed the entrance gate to the crossing compound and told waiting travellers to leave the area.
| "Beat it, youse travellers! We're in charge here and you're not! 'Cuz we got guns!" |
One of the fighters, who gave his name as Ahmed, said the group was demanding al-Hams' release. |