Rival factions Fatah and Hamas demonstrate together against Israel

Rival Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah took part in a joint demonstration against Israeli policy on Wednesday, reuniting for the first time since their bloody and acrimonious split in 2007.

By News Wires (text)

AFP- The rival Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah took part in a demonstration on Wednesday, reuniting for the first time since their violent 2007 split.

Hundreds of Gazans as well as representatives of all Palestinian factions -- including the Islamist Hamas movement and secular Fatah --- attended the rally near the Beit Hanun (Erez) crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

The factions denounced two Israeli military orders that they said would allow the mass explusion of Palestinians from the West Bank by the Jewish state.

"Hand in hand against the Zionist decision to expel Palestinians from the West Bank," read one of the signs carried by the protestors.

Speaking for all the factions, Hisham Abdelrazek, the representative of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, said "all Palestinians reject arbitrary Israeli measures against the entire Palestinian people."

On Monday, Abbas vowed to confront the Israeli military orders, which he said would target West Bank residents without proper IDs and amounted to a "provocation."

Israel denies it plans to carry out mass expulsions, saying the new orders which came into effect last week concern only people staying in the West Bank illegally and that the changes will allow oversight of deportation orders.