Hamas forces beat protesters

JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip -- Hamas forces armed with assault rifles and clubs beat supporters of the rival Palestinian faction Fatah as they tried to hold street prayers Friday to protest against the Islamic group's rule in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas forces also assaulted at least seven journalists and detained five.

Fatah supporters took to the streets in defiance of a new Hamas ban on public protest, hoping to stage a comeback after their humiliating defeat by Hamas three months ago.

Tensions have been rising in Gaza since Hamas' bloody seizure of power in June from Fatah forces of President Mahmoud Abbas. Immediately after Hamas' takeover, most rank-and-file Fatah supporters kept quiet for fear of retribution.

But with the Gaza economy in tatters and Hamas suffering from an international boycott, its leadership appears to be showing signs of strain while Fatah backers are slowly regaining confidence.

Despite its fundamentalist Islamic roots, Hamas this week banned public worship after Fatah supporters began holding prayer meetings that quickly turned into raucous protests against Hamas rule.

Palestinian Information Minister Riyad Malki of Fatah likened the Gaza protests to the beginnings of Palestinian uprisings against Israeli rule in 1987 and 2000.

"What we have seen today in Gaza is a new intifada against the Hamas occupation," he said.

In a further challenge to Hamas' hold, Palestinian groups affiliated to the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization, of which Hamas is not a member, called on members to strike Sunday and demanded Hamas apologize for its actions and release protesters arrested Friday. It would be the first general strike since the Hamas takeover and the degree of observance will be an important barometer of opposition.

An explosive device thrown among protesters in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis injured four people.

In northern Gaza's Jabaliya refugee camp, uniformed and plainclothes Hamas security forces fired in the air to drive Fatah sympathizers away. They beat several people and detained one man, witnesses said. Two people were injured, rescue workers said, one by gunfire and the other was beaten.

In southern Rafah, masked security men brandishing sticks and guns chased Fatah supporters from a public square. Protesters threw stones at the men who then opened fire. Hospital staff said at least one person was injured.

Hundreds defied the on open-air worship and prayed outside the Rafah mosque.

Across Gaza, seven journalists covering the protests were beaten and two of them were later detained, witnesses and reporters said. Two Associated Press staffers and another news photographer were also briefly detained by Hamas men.

In Jebaliya, Hamas security forces ordered journalists to stop filming.

"If a single picture is shown on TV, you know what will happen," one security man said, drawing his finger across his throat. Another tried to take a photographer's camera.

"I identified myself as a journalist and showed him my card, my press card," Muhammad Abu Sido, a cameraman for a Palestinian news service said. "But they kept on beating me and took the camera."

The Foreign Press Association, which represents the foreign media in Israel and the Palestinian territories, condemned the Hamas actions against news-gatherers, calling them "premeditated harassment".

"We have received a steady stream of reports describing physical intimidation and arrests of journalists," it said in a statement. "These incidents have occurred in different places and at different times suggesting a coordinated policy by Hamas security forces."

Abbas said such attacks on freedom of expression were likely to provoke an anti-Hamas backlash.

"These are dark ages and this can't continue," he told reporters from his West Bank headquarters Friday night. "They are digging their own graves,"

Fatah said that among those arrested were two of its highest-ranking officials left in Gaza. Hamas said the two men were detained for "instigating riots."

Also Friday, a former member of a feared Fatah security unit was found shot dead in Gaza, and Fatah accused Hamas of killing him. Tarazan Doghmush and his brother were kidnapped by unknown assailants Thursday night. His brother is currently in intensive care at a Gaza hospital, medics said.