6 die in Gaza factional clash

A memorial rally for Yasser Arafat on Monday erupted in gunfire between Hamas forces and followers of the rival Fatah movement in the Gaza Strip, leaving at least six people dead and 30 injured.

It was the worst violence between the two Palestinian factions since Hamas routed Fatah in a military-style takeover of the coastal territory in June. The summertime clashes left Gaza under the sole control of Hamas, while the West Bank remains ruled by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.

Since the takeover, Hamas has broken up previous rallies by its rival in Gaza, though with far less bloodshed. Monday’s midday gathering was to mark the third anniversary of Arafat’s death on Nov. 11, 2004, one of a series of remembrance ceremonies in the West Bank and Gaza for the former Fatah leader.

Gunfire broke out as tens of thousands of Fatah supporters, waving their faction’s yellow flag and wearing Arafat-style checkered kaffiyehs, thronged a public square and streets around Al Azhar University, a Fatah stronghold in Gaza City.

Reports differed over how the violence started, with each faction blaming the other for firing first. The crowd dispersed soon after the incident and the confrontation appeared to be over.

The clashes seemed certain to widen the gulf between the rival groups. Abbas, who fired the Hamas-led government after the June fighting, has sought to isolate the Islamist group while he pursues peace talks with Israel.

The Palestinian Authority president has used the occasion of the anniversary of his predecessor’s death to renew calls for Palestinian statehood and a negotiated peace with Israel. The Palestinians and Israel are to take part in a U.S.-sponsored peace conference, tentatively scheduled for this month, aimed at kicking off full-scale negotiations.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that his government was weighing the release of an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to Abbas. Israel has freed more than 300 of an estimated 11,000 imprisoned Palestinians in similar releases this year.

Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said release of “a significant number” of Palestinian prisoners was under consideration. Israeli media reported that the number would be 300 to 400, but Eisin would not confirm a figure.

Any decision to release prisoners requires Cabinet approval.

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said the Palestinians would welcome the release of any prisoners. “But we also want a written commitment to release all prisoners when we sign a peace treaty,” he told Voice of Palestine radio.

Olmert has said the time is right for substantive talks with Abbas, whom he describes as a partner for peace. The leaders have met seven times since December and are said to have established warm relations.

But negotiators for the two sides have yet to agree on the wording of a joint document to be presented at the conference as an outline for a final agreement. The gathering is to take place in Annapolis, Md.

In other developments, Israeli forces in the West Bank arrested two more Hamas members of the Palestinian parliament.

The arrests of Mariam Saleh in Ramallah and Khaled Tafesh, from the Bethlehem area, brought to 44 the number of Hamas lawmakers jailed by Israel since mid-2006. All remain in custody. Saleh was the first female lawmaker from Hamas to be arrested by Israel.

ellingwood@latimes.com

Special correspondent Abu Alouf reported from Gaza City and Times staff writer Ellingwood from Jerusalem.