U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday urged all Palestinian parties to respect the rule of law following reports that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas security forces fired on a Hamas rally in the West Bank. The secretary-general is greatly concerned over the recent deterioration in the security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and the increase of intra-Palestinian violence, said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric At least 32 Hamas supporters were wounded in the gunfire at the political rally, according to media reports. The violence started earlier this week when Hamas supporters accused Abbas presidential guard of attempting to assassinate Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh as he returned to Gaza through Egypt.
