Clash Between Hezbollah And Palestinian Salafists

[R]ecent events, including the kidnapping and killing of an Italian activist by a local Salafist cell and the Salafists’ repeated defiance of Hamas’ restrictions on rocket fire against Israel, have highlighted the precarious and tense state of relations between the Hamas government and the violent Salafist groups operating within the Strip.Benedetta Berti, Hamas’ Internal Challenge: The Political and Ideological Impact of Violent Salafist Groups in Gaza

Naharnet is reporting Fierce Clashes between Hizbullah, Palestinian Elements near Borj al-Barajneh:

Fierce machinegun clashes between a Lebanese group and a Palestinian group are still ongoing since 7:00 pm in the “Kurds neighborhood” on the outskirts of the Beirut southern suburb of Borj al-Barajneh, state-run National News Agency reported.


“Security forces have not been able to reach the place due to the intensity of the clashes,” NNA added.

Meanwhile, security sources told MTV that “10 Hizbullah members were wounded in a clash with a Salafist group near Borj al-Barajneh.”

Future News television, for its part, said clashes erupted between “Hizbullah members and Palestinian elements in Borj al-Barajneh.”

Later on Monday, around 8:25 pm, Al-Jadeed television said that the clashes were contained and that a meeting between Hizbullah officials and representatives of the Palestinian factions in the Borj al-Barajneh refugee camp was underway. [emphasis added]

It is too early to really know what to make of this.

In Hamas And The Salafists: When Terrorists Are Terrorized, I wrote about a report, quoted above, indicating that Hamas was having its hands full with Salafists who think that Hamas is too 'moderate'. I suppose the Salafists could be thinking the same of Hezbollah, which--like Hamas--may be too institutionalized for their tastes.

It can't be too good for Hezbollah's image, what with the Hariri indictment, image problems because of Syria and financial problems--to have some group openly challenge their authority.

Just what kind of a 'meeting' goes on between terrorist groups that appear to be at war with each other?

Technorati Tag: Hezbollah and Lebanon.