November 4, 2009
Gaza – Ma’an – Hamas has banned Fatah activities in the Gaza Strip commemorating the fifth anniversary of the death of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat next week, Fatah official Abu Shahla said on Wednesday.
He told Ma’an that Hamas banned also banned holding a memorial for Fatah leader Sakher Habash who died on Monday in Ramallah.
Abu Shahla, who lives in Gaza, explained that Fatah would always commemorate Arafat’s anniversary because "he died a martyr without abandoning any of the Palestinian unchangeable principles despite the fact that most Arab countries abandoned him."
On the other hand, the Interior Ministry of the Hamas-controlled Gaza government denied Fatah’s story about banning commemoration of Arafat’s anniversary.
"We have not banned anything, and Fatah has not applied for permission to organize a commemoration," said Interior Ministry spokesperson Ihab Al-Ghussein.
Al-Ghussein said that any activity by any party in Gaza must be coordinated with the Interior Ministry.
In 2008 Fatah said that the Hamas-backed government rejected an application for Arafat memorial rallies, whereas the Interior Ministry denied that an application was filed for a permit.
In 2007, months after Hamas consolidated control over Gaza, seven people were killed when police fired on a massive Fatah demonstration in Gaza on the anniversary of Arafat’s death.
The Fatah-controlled government in Ramallah also bans Hamas from holding public demonstrations.
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