Pro-Arafat gunmen break up Fatah conference

NABLUS, West Bank – Gunmen loyal to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat opened fire yesterday on a conference of Arafat’s Fatah movement, in the latest sign of factional infighting among the Palestinian leadership.

The Fatah conference was convened to discuss proposals for reform in the Palestinian Authority and to call for elections to the Palestinian parliament, which have not been held for 15 years. The meeting of about 70 legislators and senior Fatah officials followed weeks of demonstrations against the disarray in the security services and corruption in the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank and Gaza Strip.About 20 armed men broke into the conference on the first day of the weeklong event, firing their weapons into the air and above the stage where speakers were seated.No one was injured in the gun fire, but the meeting broke up.Several delegates met with the gunmen to discuss whether the conference could continue.- Nampa-APThe meeting of about 70 legislators and senior Fatah officials followed weeks of demonstrations against the disarray in the security services and corruption in the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank and Gaza Strip.About 20 armed men broke into the conference on the first day of the weeklong event, firing their weapons into the air and above the stage where speakers were seated.No one was injured in the gun fire, but the meeting broke up.Several delegates met with the gunmen to discuss whether the conference could continue.- Nampa-AP