Ramallah, 27-01-07: The Palestinian National Initiative (PNI) today issued a call for an immediate end to all internal fighting, and urged the two rival political factions, Fatah and Hamas, to return to negotiations towards the formation of a national unity government.
Nineteen Palestinians, including two children, have died in in-fighting between armed groups from the Fatah and Hamas movements since last Thursday evening when a roadside explosion killed two members of Hamas’ Executive Force. Eight of those killed were civilians. [1] A further seventy Palestinians have been injured in the clashes.
A PNI spokesperson underlined that in-fighting was a direct result of the failure to form a national unity government. He urged leaders of the two movements to take decisive steps towards ending the violence, and to call for a return to dialogue to form a government of national unity as the only means of ending the current siege and internal chaos under which ordinary Palestinians continue to suffer.
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[1] PCHR Press Release. 27 January 2007. Are We Proud of This?! 19 Palestinians, Including Two Children, Killed and at Least 70 Others Wounded in Shameful Bloody Clashes between Hamas and Fatah Movements.