Thousands of Hamas supporters rally across West Bank
Published today (updated) 14/12/2012 15:51
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=547893

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Thousands of Hamas supporters rallied on Friday in a
second day of celebrations in the West Bank for the movement's 25th
anniversary.

Huge rallies were held after Friday prayers in Hebron, Ramallah and
Tulkarem, a day after thousands turned out in Nablus for the first Hamas
rally in the West Bank since 2007.

Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh phoned into a rally in Hebron, telling
demonstrators: "You are re-writing history."

Palestinians in the West Bank are part of Gaza's victory against Israel,
Haniyeh said, referring to the recent eight-day war hailed locally as a
triumph of the resistance.

PLC speaker Aziz Dweik attended the rally and a minute's silence was held
for those killed in the war.

In Ramallah, MP Ahmad Atwan told crowds: "Hamas is strong and the Israeli
occupation will not last for long."

Hamas leaders Rafat Naseef, Hassan Khreisheh and Reyad Walweel joined a
rally in Tulkarem.

Fatah officials took part in the Nablus rally, while the party's
representatives in Gaza, where Hamas rules, have also got the go-ahead for
their own anniversary event which is expected next month.

The parties, who split Palestine into separate governments in 2007 amid
bitter fighting, had both clamped down on political activity by the rival
party.

Since Gaza's Hamas rulers reached a ceasefire with Israel after eight days
of fighting in November, the parties have started to lift some of the
restrictions, raising hopes of reviving the stalled reconciliation deal of
2011.