Courtesy of ISN News
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassir Arafat has come in for unprecedented attacks from members of his own Fatah party over the last 24 hours.
Fatah’s revolutionary council met for the first time in three years on Wednesday and Thursday.
The organization comprises Fatah’s most senior figures.
Former head of security in Gaza Muhammad Dahlan said Fatah must be reformed and made financially accountable.
Arafat fired Dahlan but the younger man is still seen as one of the potential replacements for Arafat.
Dahlan was speaking to reporters.
The former head of security for the Palestinian Authority Nas’r Yousuf turned to Arafat and said there must be reforms in the military.
Reuters is reporting at that point Arafat threw a microphone at Yousuf, who returned the compliment by throwing a pen at the chairman.
The men then began a heated exchange before Arafat closed the meeting out of anger.
Arafat is responsible for the military in the Palestinian Authority.
The United States among others maintains responsibility for the Palestinian military must be removed from Arafat’s hands.
Israeli sources are accusing Fatah of responsibility for the temporary loss of work for 4,000 Palestinians.
Fatah’s military wing Al-Aq’sa Martyrs Brigades says it was behind Thursday’s attack at the Erez checkpoint on the Gaza Strip perimeter.
Two gunmen killed an Israeli soldier and injured two others.
Israel immediately closed down the neighboring Erez industrial area.
The zone employs thousands of Palestinians.
Israel closed the area a month ago, after a similar attack in which Israeli soldiers were killed and several Palestinian civilians were injured.
Fatah chiefs maintain they have no control over the brigades, but Israel says many of their actions are at the behest of Fatah leader Yassir Arafat.