Gunbattle at Rafah - Fatah kills Haniyeh's bodyguard

The idea of an independent Palestinian Arab state just keeps getting better and better all the time, doesn't it?

GAZA - Gunmen opened fire on Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniya’s convey late Thursday at the Rafah border crossing, killing a bodyguard and wounding five others including Haniya’s oldest son, medics and government officials said.

The violence capped a day of chaos at the Rafah crossing, where Haniya waited most of the day to enter from Egypt to Gaza, carrying a 35 million dollars in cash.

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al Zahar blamed the attack on militants from the rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian eyewitnesses said that militants guarding Haniya’s convoy fired first on Abbas’ own security officials, who guard and secure the Rafah crossing. The witnesses said the presidential guards responded to the sources of fire, where one of Haniya’s bodyguards was slain, and five others wounded including Abul Sallam Haniya.

Added to yesterday's killing of a terror judge, and our count of PalArabs killed by each other since late June is now at 183.

Meanwhile, the nascent civil war inches forward. Wafa/Arabic reports:

• Masked gunmen attacked the headquarters of the General Intelligence Service in Jabaliya
• Major explosion caused by an explosive device, unidentified gunmen in front of a shop in the Galaa Street downtown Gaza.

No wonder every Palestinian Arab with a brain in his head is getting the hell out, leaving behind a higher percentage of people who enjoy and are addicted to violence.