The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) Monday called on its clerks in the deposed government led by Ismail Haneya to "taboo" Palestinian Friday prayers in public that rival Fatah movement had called for.
Salleh al-Reggeb, director of religious affairs ministry in Haneya's government said in a written statement sent to the press that "the prayers in public that Fatah movement calls for every Friday is religiously illegal."
"The public prayers that Fatah called was not serious and it included ridiculous behavior by the prayers," al-Reggeb said, adding that "prayers don't come for worshipping but for riots and violation of law."
On Friday, tens of thousands of Fatah supporters prayed in several parts in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip as a challenge to Hamas and its executive security forces.
Twelve people, including two French journalists, were wounded in the demonstration and dozens were detained.
President Mahmoud Abbas chaired a meeting for the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Ramallah
this week, calling on the Palestinians all over the territories to pray in public next Friday.
Haneya's government accused the PLO committee and Abbas of " inciting the Palestinians for riots, violence and terror."
Hamas movement and its militants took control of the Gaza Strip in mid June after they defeated Abbas' security forces and Fatah movement in bloody clashes.
Abbas, in turn, fired the Hamas-led government and formed a new one led by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank.
Source: Xinhua
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