Gaza's slow descent into self-destructive anarchy

JERUSALEM - The Gaza Strip sank deeper into self-destructive anarchy yesterday amid mounting criticism of Mahmoud Abbas' leadership and demands for his Palestinian Authority to postpone upcoming polls.

Two days after kidnappers released British human rights worker Kate Burton and her parents, gunmen seized Alessandro Bernardini, an Italian peace activist visiting a candidate in Khan Yunis.

After about three hours of failed talks for his release, police stormed the building where he was being held. After a brief shootout, Bernardini, a peace activist, was led away unharmed.

He said he was treated well and that the ordeal had not altered his pro-Palestinian point of view.

"They gave me cigarettes and tea. I'm not going to change my ideas about the Palestinians. I will not change my ideas about the [Israeli] occupation."

The Al-Aqsa Brigades, which are affiliated to Abbas' Fatah, acknowledged responsibility for the snatch.

The admission adds credence to Palestinian commentators, who suspect that factions within Fatah are trying to sabotage the January 25 election for fear of a Hamas victory.

The Burton family's kidnappers threatened to seize foreign observers monitoring the poll. Rather than confront them, the PA has frequently paid off kidnappers with jobs and salaries.

Earlier yesterday, another Al Aqsa gang bombed a UN club in Gaza City, the only place left in the territory where foreigners can buy alcohol.

The attackers waited until New Year revellers had left about 3am, then bound and beat a security guard and detonated three bombs in the bar.

Independent parliamentary candidate Eyad Sarraj called for the elections to be postponed. "How can you proceed with democratic elections? Security forces are not in control. In fact, they are the root of the problem."

Only last week, armed Palestinian police invaded the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt demanding the execution of a man accused of killing a comrade during a clan quarrel.

Sarraj, a British-educated human rights campaigner, accused the militants of damaging the Palestinian cause by driving away foreign sympathisers. Many international aid groups have scaled down their expatriate staff because of safety concerns.

"Who else is in Gaza now except the people who are bringing money or food or medicines for the Palestinian people?" Sarraj said.

"The place is full of people expressing solidarity, and look what's happening to them. It's as if the gunmen are working for the Palestinians' enemies. Perhaps they are our enemies."

Hafez Barghouti, editor of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, denounced Abbas for failing to keep his promise on security.

"We cannot go on like this. He must wage war against these gangs, who are acting against foreigners, against Palestinians, but not against Israel.

"He has to tell the people what he intends to do. He has never spoken directly to the people. Few people see him. He doesn't listen to advice."

The strife has overshadowed the continuing battle astride Gaza's border with Israel, which has enforced a northern no-go zone to try to stop Palestinians launching rockets.

An Israeli air strike at the weekend killed two gunmen. Israel said they were preparing to fire a rocket from the evacuated settlement of Elei Sinai. Three rockets fell in the Western Negev later in the day but there were no injuries.

LATEST SNATCHES

* Dec 21, 2005 - Unidentified gunmen briefly kidnap Dutch national Hendrik Taatgen and Australian Brian Ambrosio on their way to the American school where they worked.

* Dec 28 - British human rights worker Kate Burton and her visiting parents are held in Rafah and freed two days later.

* Jan 1, 2006 - A faction of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades briefly abducts Italian Alessandro Bernardini in the Gaza Strip.

- INDEPENDENT