GAZA: Israel keeps up offensive on Gaza, talks on Palestinian unity government underway

Israel kept up its military offensive on Gaza on Sunday (November 12) while talks on the formation of a Palestinian unity government appeared to bear fruit. An Israeli air strike on gunmen launching a rocket from the Gaza Strip killed a Palestinian civilian, hospital officials and Palestinian security sources said. Hospital officials said the civilian was a 16-year-old boy. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed there had been an air strike on Palestinians as they fired a rocket from northern Gaza at Israel. She had no further details. Israel has mounted military sweeps of Gaza to try to counter cross-border rocket salvoes and retrieve a captive soldier. The most recent mission culminated with the death of 19 civilians in an Israeli artillery barrage on the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. Waving Palestinian and Al-Aqsa brigades flags, several thousands of members of Fatah marched through the streets of the southern Gaza town of Rafah and Gaza city vowing to follow in the footsteps of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who died two years ago, and demanded an investigation into his death. Participants demanded the files detailing the cause of death of Arafat be reopened and an investigation into his death be revisited. The death of Arafat, boycotted by Washington and Israel as an alleged orchestrator of bloodshed, favoured the emergence of the moderate Palestinian leader Abbas. On the political front, the Hamas led government held talks with its rival Fatah faction over allocating cabinet seats in a unity government that Palestinians hope will be able to bring about an easing of Western sanctions. "The future government will implement the legitimacy of elections, the political partnership, and the national unity. This government will permit the lifting of the siege and decrease the suffering of the Palestinian people," Haniyeh told reporters at the start of his meeting with Fatah officials. "We are sure that this government will have all the respect and appreciate, first from the Palestinian people, second from the Arab and Muslim countries and third from the World," said Ahmed Qurei of Fatah, who used to head the Palestinian government. Haniyeh of Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah have both said they hope a new cabinet could be in place within two to three weeks after months of intermittent talks and internal violence that has raised fears of civil war. Senior leaders from both factions began talks in Haniyeh's office in the Gaza Strip and are expected to last several days. "This is what has been confirmed by President Abu Mazen is his direct meetings with me, that there are talks with the Americans and the Europeans and that there are assurances and guarantees in relation to lifting the siege when the new Palestinian government is sworn in," Haniyeh told reporters after the meeting. Hamas took office in March after stunning the long-dominant and more moderate Fatah to win elections in January. But Hamas has struggled to govern under Western sanctions imposed by the United States and Europe over the group's refusal to recognise Israel. It has also been locked in a bitter power struggle with Abbas, who was elected separately in early 2005.

ITN Source | November 12, 2006

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