The deposed government of the Islamic Hamas movement on Tuesday prohibited "the political prayers" on Fridays in public and open areas in the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas government justified the ban in a statement saying that the prayers, who should go home after pray in public, have quickly turned into violence over the past two weeks.
It said that "after they finish praying every Friday, they violate the law, throw stones and homemade grenades and attack public properties."
The ban is issued three days after an appeal made by the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), calling on the Palestinians to go for public prayers all-over the Palestinian territories.
Meanwhile, Ihab al-Ghusein, spokesman for the Interior Ministry of the Hamas government, told reporters that the decision to prohibit praying in public places "was made in today's weekly meeting of the cabinet."
"We don't prohibit prayers, but the prayers that Fatah called for had violated the goals of the prayers and turned into chaos, disturbances and riots," said al-Ghusein.
"We do all our best to restore order and discipline in the Gaza Strip," he said.
Rival Fatah movement has been calling for public prayers on Fridays in Gaza, saying its supporters refrained from going to pray in the mosques "after Hamas used them in inciting against the legal leadership."
On Friday, clashes erupted between thousands of Fatah supporters and Hamas security forces in Gaza, leaving at least 20 wounded and dozens detained.
Source: Xinhua
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