Mohammed Mar'i Saudi Gazette RAMALLAH — A senior Fatah official Saturday said that the Hamas movement decided to allow his movement to mark the 48th anniversary of its establishment, the first time in the Gaza Strip since five years. Yahya Rabah, deputy head of Fatah's higher committee in the Gaza Strip, told the Voice of Palestine Radio that the Hamas government informed the committee of the decision. Rabah said that the Hamas government agreed to hold the ceremony in the Gaza City's Al-Katiba Square. The anniversary of the founding of Fatah is usually celebrated on January 1. Rabah said that Hamas government's internal security apparatus used to prevent Fatah from marking the anniversary for fear of clashes between Fatah and Hamas supporters in the coastal enclave. Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas consolidated his rule in the West Bank, widening political rift with Gaza besides the geographical split. Hamas allowed Fatah movement to mark the death of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in 2007, but the event ended with clashes between Fatah supporters and Hamas. Eleven Palestinians were killed during the clashes and rights groups accused Hamas of using lethal force. Since then, the Hamas government prohibited the marking of Arafat's and Fatah's anniversaries or Fatah's public meetings or celebrations. The decision was yet another sign of improved relations between Fatah and Hamas. The Fatah-led Palestinian Authority allowed Hamas to mark the 25th anniversary of the movement's founding in West Bank cities, also for the first time since 2007. Hamas and Fatah have pledged to work hard to end their differences in the aftermath of Israeli aggression and the UN General Assembly vote in favor of upgrading the Palestinians' status to nonmember observer state. Following last month's aggression on Gaza Strip, several Fatah officials, including Nabil Sha'ath of the movement's Central Committee, took part in “victory” celebrations organized by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. In May, Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation deal in Cairo to end around five years of internal division. The split widened in 2007, when Hamas, which won the parliamentary elections in 2006, routed forces loyal to Abbas and took over Gaza.
