Palestinian police crackdown on Gaza chaos

Palestinian forces sealed off five major breaches along Gaza’s porous southern border, fired warning shots in the air and clashed with stone-throwing crowds today, in their strongest effort yet to halt the chaotic flood of people in and out of Egypt since Israel’s withdrawal from the area.

Throughout the day, crowds pelted Palestinian and Egyptian troops with rocks and managed to force their way across the border. But in contrast to previous days, the forces appeared determined to carry out Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ promise to have the border under control by early next week. Eight people were wounded.

Also today, about 60 members of rival Palestinian security units engaged in a shoot-out in the centre of the West Bank town of Ramallah after two officers feuded over a parking space, security officials said. No one was hurt.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians poured into two empty West Bank settlements evacuated by Israel last month, setting fires and rushing off with piles of wood and other debris.

The border mayhem and other unrest reflected the challenge that Abbas faces in asserting control after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel says there can be no progress in peace talks until Abbas imposes law and order.

Since Israel completed its withdrawal last week, thousands of people have crossed freely between Gaza and Egypt. Most people have gone to shop or see long-lost relatives, but Palestinian officials acknowledge drugs and assault rifles have also entered Gaza.

Early today, helmeted Palestinian riot police patrolled the border area, checking documents and bags of Palestinians returning from Egypt. Police also prevented Gazans from entering Egypt, witnesses said.

Palestinian bulldozers and cranes began closing holes in the border barriers, and Egyptian border guards rolled out barbed wire, to keep out trespassers. By late today, five of 14 holes in a border fence had been sealed with large concrete barriers.

“Egypt issued orders first not to let anyone through and we followed suit. Our dream is to have an Egyptian-Palestinian border without Israel or its approval. God willing, this will happen,” said Abdel Aziz Hamdan, a Palestinian riot policeman.

Throughout the day, Palestinian crowds threw stones at both Palestinian and Egyptian police, who fired in the air. Palestinians tore down parts of a wire fence, surged through the opening and knocked baton-wielding Egyptian security forces to the ground.

“We were locked up by the Jews, now the Egyptians are going to lock us up?” said Kamel Tarabini, a resident of Rafah. “If they close this border, Egyptians and Palestinians will become enemies.”

Eight Palestinians were wounded, including two people lightly wounded by gunfire, hospital officials said.

After a meeting with Egyptian security officials, Abbas promised yesterday to have the border under control within three days. But he faces a dilemma.

Facing a challenge from the Islamic Hamas group in upcoming legislative elections, Abbas needs to secure freedom of movement for his people. However, the chaos increasingly makes him look weak in the eyes of the world, and will make it tougher to negotiate a future border deal with Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio that recent events in Gaza “were not encouraging,” and that it’s unlikely Israel will make more concessions if the Gaza experiment fails.

Before completing its withdrawal last week, Israel agreed with Egypt to close the Rafah border terminal, the main gateway for Gaza’s Palestinians to the outside world. In a deal with Israel, Egypt is to deploy 750 forces along the border.

Israel says the Rafah terminal should remain closed for six months while security arrangements are finalised and to give Abbas time to control militants. In the meantime, traffic from Gaza would be routed through alternate Israeli-controlled crossings. The Palestinians reject the plan.