Soccer Dad

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December 31, 2004
Gunmen give Abbas a boost

The highlight of Abbas' visit to the Jenin refugee camp next to the northern West Bank town of Jenin was his encounter with a group of gunmen led by Zakaria Zubeidi, the local leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent group with ties to Abbas' ruling Fatah party.

Zubeidi, who is idolized in the camp and wanted by Israel for organizing attacks and sending suicide bombers into Israeli cities, took center stage in welcoming Abbas to the camp. He and other militants hoisted aloft Abbas, who smiled and waved to about 3,000 Palestinians gathered around.

Abbas won Zubeidi's ringing endorsement. After Abbas left the stage, Zubeidi, with gunmen firing in the air, warned that he would deal with anyone who tried to challenge the elected Palestinian leadership.

April 17, 2005

Palestinian Gunmen Protest Against Abbas:

Dozens of Palestinian gunmen, in another challenge to President Mahmoud Abbas, put on a show of force in the West Bank on Sunday to demand money for families of Palestinians killed or hurt in fighting with Israel.

The protest in Jenin by al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades followed incidents last month in which gunmen from the group, part of Abbas's Fatah faction, trashed restaurants in Ramallah patronised by Palestinian leaders and shot at his compound.

"We have decided to stay here, in Jenin's main square, with the sons of martyrs until the Palestinian Authority pays the stipends," said Zachariya Zubeidi, al-Aqsa's West Bank leader, referring to relatives of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces.

Crossposted on Israpundit and Soccer Dad.

Posted by SoccerDad at April 19, 2005 3:37 AM