Hamas official attacked when paying visit to slain PIJ commander's family

Some PIJ members expressed outrage that Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar and other Hamas leaders did not pay a condolence visit to the family of Bahaa al-Ata in the first days after his death.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
A Palestinian militant walks past the home of Islamic Jihad field commander Baha Abu Al-Atta after it was hit by an Israeli strike that killed him in Gaza City (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
A Palestinian militant walks past the home of Islamic Jihad field commander Baha Abu Al-Atta after it was hit by an Israeli strike that killed him in Gaza City
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) supporters on Friday expelled senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar from the home of the family of slain PIJ commander Bahaa Abu al-Ata in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City.
The incident occurred when Zahar arrived to offer condolences to the family over the death of al-Ata, who was assassinated last week by Israel.
Scores of PIJ supporters rioted and blocked the cars of Zahar and his bodyguards, forcing them to flee the area, Palestinian sources said. The protesters chanted slogans against Hamas for failing to launch rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of al-Ata.

The incident is a sign of mounting tensions between Hamas and PIJ after last week’s round of fighting with Israel. PIJ and Hamas officials have denied that relations between the two parties have been strained as a result of Hamas’s inaction. They accused Israel of seeking to drive a wedge between the two groups by “praising” Hamas for its failure to join the PIJ in the fighting with Israel
The sources said that PIJ supporters threw stones at Zahar’s car when he arrived at the home of al-Ata’s family and chanted: “Hamas go away, go away!”
Zahar’s bodyguards responded by firing into the air before whisking him away, the sources added. No one was hurt.
Some PIJ members expressed outrage that Zahar and other Hamas leaders did not pay a condolence visit to the family of al-Ata in the first days after his death. Others said that Hamas’s position during the last round of violence was “shameful.”
Following Friday’s incident, the family of al-Ata issued a public apology to Zahar. “We regret the unfortunate incident that took place against the leader, Mahmoud Zahar,” the family said in a statement.
A PIJ delegation later visited Zahar at his home and apologized for the incident. “We apologize to our brother Mahmoud Zahar for what happened today,” said Khaled al-Batsh, a senior PIJ official who headed the delegation. “What happened is unacceptable and we affirm our strong relation with Hamas. We share the same future and enemy.”

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The father of Abu al-Ata was among the PIJ delegation that went to apologize to Zahar.



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Palestinian Islamic Jihad