The deposed government of Ismail Haneya led by Hamas movement in Gaza prohibited on Tuesday what it called "the political prayers" on Fridays in public and opened areas.
Ihab al-Ghusein, spokesman of the interior ministry of the deposed Haneya government, told reporters that the government decision to prohibit praying in public places "was made in today's weekly meeting of the cabinet."
The decision was made as the rival Fatah movement has been calling for public prayers on Fridays in the Gaza Strip.
Fatah has denounced that its supporters refrained from going to pray in the mosques "after Hamas used them (mosques) in inciting against the legal leadership."
Clashes erupted last Friday between thousands of Fatah supporters and Hamas executive security forces in Gaza, where at least 20 wounded and dozens detained.
The force has said in a statement that the prayers don't just pray in public and "after they finish praying every Friday, they violate the law, throw stones and homemade grenades and attack public properties."
On Saturday after an urgent meeting, the executive committee of Palestine Liberation (PLO) chaired by President Mahmoud Arafat called on the Palestinians to go for public prayers allover the Palestinian territories.
"We don't prohibit prayers, but the prayers that Fatah called for had violated the goals of the prayers and were used in chaos, disturbances and riots," said al-Ghusein.
"We do all our best to restore order and discipline in the Gaza Strip," stressed the spokesman from the Hamas side.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article