Palestinian affairs.--Fatah Threatens to Take Action if Members Not Allowed to Head to W. Bank--Says Will Arrest Hamas Activists in W. Bank --Hamas Decides Not to Allow Fatah Loyalists Loyalists, in the American Revolution, colonials who adhered to the British cause. The patriots referred to them as Tories. Although Loyalists were found in all social classes and occupations, a disproportionately large number were engaged in commerce and the to Leave for Bethlehem Secular Palestinian group Fatah vowed on Wednesday to take decisive action against its rival Hamas if the latter prevents Fatah activists in Gaza from crossing over to Bethlehem for the sixth general Fatah congress, the Beirut daily AN NAHAR reported Thursday. Fatah "decided to take historical decisions if Hamas insisted on preventing the group representatives in Gaza from participating in the congress," Fatah spokesman Fathi Zaarir stated. He did not elaborate. However, a Fatah official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "If they do not allow Fatah members The following is a list of members of Fatah, a Palestinian political party and militia founded sometime between 1958-1959. The list includes leaders, militants, commanders, governors, mayors and financiers that are associated with Fatah and its several various branches. to leave Gaza, we will arrest their activists in the West Bank." Fatah also hinted at boycotting the Egypt-sponsored Palestinian dialogue, which is scheduled to resume on Aug. 25. Fatah Secretary in Ramallah Raid Radwan, said, "Preventing our men from coming to the West Bank will be the last nail in the dialogue's coffin coffin, closed receptacle for a corpse. Its purpose is usually to protect and to aid preservation of the body, although in the past some have believed that it may confine the spirit of the deceased. ." There are some 400-500 Fatah congress members based in Gaza. Palestinian Authority Palestinian Authority (PA) or Palestinian National Authority, interim self-government body responsible for areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip under Palestinian control. (PA) Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas Mahmoud Abbas (Arabic: محمود عباس) (born March 26, 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen had said he would cancel the group's first congress in 20 years if Gaza-based Fatah members are not allowed to head to Bethlehem. Abbas had asked Egypt and Syria to pressure Hamas to allow Fatah members to cross over to the West Bank from Gaza, which Hamas took over in June 2007. Other reports said Turkey and Russia are also trying to pull some strings with the Islamists over allowing Fatah members to head to the West Bank for the Aug. 4 congress. Hamas, which already stopped three Fatah members in the enclave enclave /en·clave/ (en´klav) tissue detached from its normal connection and enclosed within another organ. en·clave n. A detached mass of tissue enclosed in tissue of another kind. headed to the West Bank on Sunday, said it has made up its mind about that issue. On Tuesday, Hamas called for freeing all Hamas loyalists under custody in the West Bank. It also asked the PA to issue new passports for Palestinians in Gaza, including Hamas officials and members. (See Regional Report for more.) Hamas strongman Mahmoud al-Zahhar said, "If they wanted to move freely from Gaza, they must release all prisoners in their jails." He added that Hamas does not want "to obstruct ob·struct v. To block or close a body passage so as to hinder or interrupt a flow. ob·struc  tive adj. the congress... However, we will not allow the
misuse of the congress to sabotage sabotage [Fr., sabot=wooden shoe; hence, to work clumsily], form of direct action by workers against employers through obstruction of work and/or lowering of plant efficiency. Methods range from peaceful slowing of production to destruction of property. security in Gaza. We have evidence of
the involvement of many of them [Fatah members in Gaza] in plotting to
sabotage security, and they are now in our jails." Hamas claims
there are 1,000 of its activists under custody in the West Bank. It
claimed last month Fatah plotted to sabotage the security of Gaza
through bombings and assassinations and claimed it had evidence of this.
Fatah had also made similar claims about Hamas plots in the West Bank.
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