Hamas police officers rounded up scores of supporters of the rival Fatah movement here today, a day after a mass rally in honor of Yasir Arafat, the late Palestinian leader and founder of the Fatah, ended in violence. Hamas, which rules Gaza, also threatened a political crackdown, saying in a statement that their leaders would “take measures” to ensure the “protection of internal security.”
At least six demonstrators were shot dead in MondayÂ’s armed clashes, and over a hundred were wounded, mostly participants in the rally. Each side blamed the other for starting the violence.
Yet even as they mourned, Fatah supporters were buoyed by the massive turnout of the day before, estimated at more than 200,000, the largest show of support for the organization here since Hamas seized control of the territory last June.
“Fatah succeeded in sending a message to the United States and to Israel before Annapolis, that the Gaza Strip is not only Hamas,” said Ayman Shahin, a political scientist and Fatah member in Gaza. He was referring to the American-sponsored Middle East peace gathering that is planned to take place in Annapolis, Md., this month.
Hamas routed Fatah forces in a brief, but fierce, factional war with Gaza as the prize. Since then the area has been politically and economically isolated, its main border crossings with Israel and Egypt closed. Israel has declared Gaza as “hostile territory” and allows in only the minimum quantities of essential goods necessary to avoid a hunger crisis.
“People are comparing their experience under Hamas and their previous experience under Fatah,” said Talal Okal, a political analyst and a member of the board of Al-Azhar University in Gaza, which is affiliated with Fatah. “They are choosing Fatah,” he said, “despite the past problems of corruption they all know about.”
Still, Fatah activists remained realistic about their chances of regaining control of the area any time soon. “Hamas has succeeded in sending its own message,” said Mr. Shahin, “that it has full military control over the Gaza Strip.”