Top Fatah leader in Gaza urges inquiry into defeat

Top Fatah leader in Gaza urges inquiry into defeat
By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA, June 18 (Reuters) - A senior Fatah leader from Gaza who sat out fighting with Hamas last week, called on Monday for an inquiry into how Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's forces lost control of the strip to the Islamist group.

The call from Ahmed Helles -- who had urged dialogue with Hamas instead of conflict -- was a sign of deepening political division between Gaza and the West Bank, where Abbas holds sway. Many loyalists of secular Fatah brand Helles a Hamas ally.

Helles was sidelined by Abbas earlier this year and is an arch rival of the president's national security adviser, Mohammad Dahlan, who is also from the Gaza Strip.

"A serious investigation must be conducted so that those who made mistakes can be held accountable," said Helles, who is respected by many of Fatah's armed groups. He said both Abbas and Dahlan should be included in any probe.

More than 100 Palestinians were killed in the fighting before Hamas routed the Fatah-dominated security forces.

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