… as if this was a surprise.

By Andrew L. Jaffee

Amnesty International reports on the blood feud/turf battle between Hamas and Fatah:

… the situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply since June when Hamas seized control by force. …

According to Amnesty, arbitrary detentions and the torture of opposition supporters have become widespread in the Gaza Strip where there have also been attacks on demonstrators and journalists covering such incidents.

But the report says human rights abuses are being committed in the West Bank too, by government security forces under the control of President Mahmoud Abbas against Hamas supporters.

Hundreds of Hamas sympathisers have been arrested and reports of ill-treatment and torture are frequent but much less publicised than Hamas violations, Amnesty notes. …

Good timing as, “…In its final months, the Bush administration has pushed Middle East peace to the top of the White House agenda…?“

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Related: Palestinians, Terrorist Groups, Human Rights

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