Gaza lurches towards civil war
Gaza was on the brink of civil war last night as violent clashes between Palestinian factions spiralled out of control.Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, threatened to declare a state of emergency today, as fierce fighting raged on the streets.
But as the death toll climbed to more than 40 in four days of the worst fighting since Mr Abbas forged a coalition Government with Fatah’s rival Hamas two months ago, he appeared powerless to stop it.
Neither faction has been able to enforce three separate ceasefires declared in as many days. Rare, high-level talks between Mr Abbas and Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’s exiled leader, failed to produce any results beyond a loose agreement that the violence should end.
Certainly this is nothing to celebrate, however one may hope that when it all finally settles down the situation, both internally in Palestine and between Palestine and Israel will improve.
