Hamas Reverses Ban on Fatah Gaza Rally
Hamas has backed down on its decision to ban Fatah from staging an open-square rally in Gaza, Abeer Ayoub reports from Gaza.
Hamas on Friday reversed its ban on Fatah from staging an open-square rally to commemorate its anniversary in Gaza.
Nabil Sha’at, a West Bank-based senior Fatah official, announced on Saturday that the celebration will take place on Friday, Jan. 4, at Al-Saraya Square in Gaza. The celebration will be the first for the movement in Gaza since Hamas took over the coastal enclave in 2007.
Taher Al-Nono, a Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, said that an initiative made on Friday by representatives from several Palestinian factions, and direct negotiations between Sha’at and Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, resulted in a reversal of Hamas’ ban.
The two rival factions had disputed the venue of the celebrations, with Fatah insisting on Al-Kateeba Square, the site of Hamas’ own anniversary festivities a few weeks ago. Hamas had denied Fatah’s request to stage an open-square rally for “security reasons.”
