Palestinian PM: Recognise Hamas militia

Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh insisted today that his Hamas movement’s 6,000-strong militia be recognised as a branch of the Palestinian security forces.

The point of dispute has sparked bloody clashes with the rival Fatah movement, which dominates the security forces, in the past.

Fatah’s leader, moderate Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, has declared the Hamas militia illegal and wants it dismantled.

Tensions between Hamas and Fatah have risen in recent days, despite a truce reached last month. A Fatah supporter was killed in factional fighting on Thursday, and a Hamas backer was seized and shot in the legs by Fatah gunmen later in the day.

Hamas and Fatah have waged an increasingly bloody power struggle, including over control of the security forces, in the past year.

The formation of a Hamas-Fatah coalition government in March calmed the situation only briefly, and deadly fighting erupted again in May.

Haniyeh’s interior minister resigned last month over his inability to enact a new security plan.