One version of the story said the gunfire was an assassination attempt aimed at interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Another dismissed it as a misunderstanding that erupted in gunfire simply because there were too many weapons around. But on Monday, Palestinians and others weighing the aftermath of the violent incident a day earlier at a mourning tent for Yasser Arafat, in which two security officers died, recognized that whichever scenario was closer to the truth — the fact that it happened at all underscored the difficulties facing the new Palestinian leadership and highlighted fears Gaza could collapse into chaos. “When Arafat was alive, he didn’t have the capacity to control Gaza,” said Hafez Barghouti, editor in chief of the Palestinian daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida. “It will be harder (now).” Abbas — the presumed heir to Arafat — has little grass roots support. But he will quickly have to bring the factions into line if he wants to prevent a collapse into disorder. Full Story
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