<p>The Palestinian Authority said Sunday it was withdrawing staff from the Rafah border post with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip to protest against "brutal practices" by rival faction Hamas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This decision comes in the light of recent developments and brutal practices of the de facto gangs" in the Gaza Strip, said the PA's civil affairs authority in a statement, quoted by official Palestinian news agency WAFA.</p>

<p>It accused Hamas of "summoning, arresting and abusing our employees", leading it to conclude that their presence was futile, the statement said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Islamist movement Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 in a near civil war with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas' Fatah party.</p>

<p>But the Palestinian Authority took control of Rafah in November 2017, as part of a deal that saw Egypt reopen a border that had been entirely shut from August that year and largely sealed for years before that. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"Since we took over the Rafah crossing, Hamas has been obstructing the work of our crew there," the statement said.</p>

<p>It said Egypt had made the reopening of Rafah — the only land crossing from the Gaza Strip to non-Palestinian territory beyond two posts with Israel — conditional on the PA being in-charge of it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Hamas spokesman said the PA's decision to withdraw "constitutes a new step by Mahmud Abbas in separating the West Bank from the Gaza Strip".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The PA is based in the city of Ramallah and only governs parts of the Israeli occupied West Bank, which is separated from the Gaza Strip by internationally recognised Israeli territory.</p>

<p>In late December, a Fatah spokesman accused Hamas of carrying out mass arrests of its members in the Gaza Strip. Hamas denied the allegation.</p>

<p>Several attempts to reconcile Fatah and Hamas have failed in recent years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The internationally recognised PA has tightened pressure on Hamas in recent months by reducing the salaries of civil servants in Gaza, which has been squeezed by a long Israeli blockade.</p>


The Palestinian Authority took control of Rafah in November 2017 as part of a deal that saw Egypt reopen a border.

The Palestinian Authority said Sunday it was withdrawing staff from the Rafah border post with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip to protest against "brutal practices" by rival faction Hamas. "This decision comes in the light of recent developments and brutal practices of the de facto gangs" in the Gaza Strip, said the PA's civil affairs authority in a statement, quoted by official Palestinian news agency WAFA. It accused Hamas of "summoning, arresting and abusing our employees", leading it to conclude that their presence was futile, the statement said. Islamist movement Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 in a near civil war with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas' Fatah party. But the Palestinian Authority took control of Rafah in November 2017, as part of a deal that saw Egypt reopen a border that had been entirely shut from August that year and largely sealed for years before that. "Since we took over the Rafah crossing, Hamas has been obstructing the work of our crew there," the statement said. It said Egypt had made the reopening of Rafah — the only land crossing from the Gaza Strip to non-Palestinian territory beyond two posts with Israel — conditional on the PA being in-charge of it. A Hamas spokesman said the PA's decision to withdraw "constitutes a new step by Mahmud Abbas in separating the West Bank from the Gaza Strip". The PA is based in the city of Ramallah and only governs parts of the Israeli occupied West Bank, which is separated from the Gaza Strip by internationally recognised Israeli territory. In late December, a Fatah spokesman accused Hamas of carrying out mass arrests of its members in the Gaza Strip. Hamas denied the allegation. Several attempts to reconcile Fatah and Hamas have failed in recent years. The internationally recognised PA has tightened pressure on Hamas in recent months by reducing the salaries of civil servants in Gaza, which has been squeezed by a long Israeli blockade.

Palestinian Authority pulls staff from Rafah border crossing

<p>Palestinian President Mahmoud&nbsp;Abbas, who officials said is being treated for a lung infection, will remain in the hospital for an eighth day on Sunday.</p>

<p>The 82-year-old leader had been expected to be released from the hospital in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, but this was postponed,&nbsp;Abbas' office said in a text message to journalists.</p>

<p>Abbas, who is a heavy smoker, was admitted on May 20 for what doctors had initially said were medical tests following ear surgery.</p>

<p>He was shown on Palestinian television last week walking along a hospital corridor and sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper.</p>

<p>A Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said&nbsp;Abbas&nbsp;was still undergoing treatment and would not be released on Sunday, adding that he has been holding meetings with international and Palestinian officials at his bedside.</p>

<p>The official Palestinian news agency Wafa ran a statement which quoted Istishari Hospital's medical director, Said Sarahneh, as saying test results show an improvement in his health.</p>

<p>"President Mahmoud&nbsp;Abbas's condition is showing a continuous and speedy improvement," Sarahneh told Wafa.</p>

<p>Abbas, who was also hospitalised for medical checks during a trip to address the UN&nbsp;Security Council in February, became president after the death in 2004 of Yasser Arafat.</p>

<p>The Western-backed president pursued US-led peace talks with Israel but these broke down in 2014 and his democratic mandate expired eight years ago.</p>

<p>There has been no presidential election since 2005 and the term of office is only five years.</p>

<p>His authority is essentially limited to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with the Islamist group Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip.</p>

<p>Abbas&nbsp;has no formal deputy in the Palestinian Authority.</p>

<p>In theory, the speaker of parliament would take over on an interim basis if the president were to die in office.</p>

<p>But the speaker's role is held by a Hamas representative, and&nbsp;Abbas’s Fatah faction would likely dispute the constitutional legitimacy of his taking over.</p>


Abbas, who is a heavy smoker, was admitted on May 20 for what doctors had initially said were medical tests following ear surgery

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who officials said is being treated for a lung infection, will remain in the hospital for an eighth day on Sunday. The 82-year-old leader had been expected to be released from the hospital in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, but this was postponed, Abbas' office said in a text message to journalists. Abbas, who is a heavy smoker, was admitted on May 20 for what doctors had initially said were medical tests following ear surgery. He was shown on Palestinian television last week walking along a hospital corridor and sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper. A Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Abbas was still undergoing treatment and would not be released on Sunday, adding that he has been holding meetings with international and Palestinian officials at his bedside. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa ran a statement which quoted Istishari Hospital's medical director, Said Sarahneh, as saying test results show an improvement in his health. "President Mahmoud Abbas's condition is showing a continuous and speedy improvement," Sarahneh told Wafa. Abbas, who was also hospitalised for medical checks during a trip to address the UN Security Council in February, became president after the death in 2004 of Yasser Arafat. The Western-backed president pursued US-led peace talks with Israel but these broke down in 2014 and his democratic mandate expired eight years ago. There has been no presidential election since 2005 and the term of office is only five years. His authority is essentially limited to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, with the Islamist group Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip. Abbas has no formal deputy in the Palestinian Authority. In theory, the speaker of parliament would take over on an interim basis if the president were to die in office. But the speaker's role is held by a Hamas representative, and Abbas’s Fatah faction would likely dispute the constitutional legitimacy of his taking over.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hospital stay extended

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pro-<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISIS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISIS</a> media unit Wafa&#39; Foundation continues to threaten 2018 FIFA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldCup</a>, this time using an image of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LionelMessi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LionelMessi</a> in a prison outfit <a href="https://t.co/isB8RDKYAK">pic.twitter.com/isB8RDKYAK</a></p>
&mdash; SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) <a href="https://twitter.com/siteintelgroup/status/922863797928329216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahead of the FIFA World Cup to be held in 2018, the Wafa Media Foundation,&nbsp; a pro-ISIS group on Twitter, releases a shocking image to threaten fans and followers of football.</p>

<p>The Islamic State&#39;s mouthpiece used the face of the Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi to convey their ideology. The released poster says &#39;Just Terrorism&#39; and &#39;You are fighting a state that does not have failure in its dictionary&#39;. Also in the poster, Lionel Messi is standing behind the bar with one eye crying blood.</p>

<p>The poster is intended to spread terror among football fans, indicating also that the terror group may carry a terror attack during FIFA World Cup. The other posters released by them contain pictures of rifles and explosives. Last week, Wafa Media Foundation published one photo of a fighter carrying a rifle and a time-bomb with the ISIS black flag in front of a football stadium. The official symbol of the 2018 World Cup finals was also included in the image.</p>

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<p>The poster says, &quot;Oh, enemies of Allah in Russia, I swear that the fire of the mujahideen will burn them, just wait,&quot;. (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Politics has always been part of all sporting events in the recorded history of humankind. When Indian football clubs played with their British counterpart, it was very much a display of nationalist sentiment. In more recent times, every cricket match between India and Pakistan was an extension of the political tension that exists between the two nation. Winning a match has become more than a sporting event, it has come to signify, unfortunately, the superiority of one nation over the other. Political permeation of sports is not limited to the subcontinent; every football match played between and English and Wales football club show the domineering influence of politics, often sidelining the sporting spirit.</p>

<p>For repressive minority groups, sports events have often served as a tool to convey their sufferings to the rest of the world. For instance, recently, American football player Colin Kaepernick initiated a protest against New York police brutality. The NFL players either took a knee during the national anthem before a game or stand with arms locked in silent protest. This bold move started as a result of repeated videos showing police shooting and killing unarmed black men.</p>

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<p>NFL protest (Others)</p>
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<p>Racism has time again inspired players to protest. In the 1968 Olympics, 200m gold and bronze medalist Tommie Smith and John Carlos respectively took up a public stance against racism. They stood with their heads bowed and raising a black-gloved hand as the American National Anthem played during the victory ceremony.</p>

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<p>Tommie Smith and John Carlos (Others)</p>
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<p>But, terrorism in sports is something that has caused global concern and condemnation. The threat of terrorism has become a major threat to all major sporting events as causing a debacle there, the terrorists understand well enough, would have global repercussions. Sporting events, such as the Olympics, football tournaments and cricket matches have been targeted, some of them had a larger impact such as the 1972 Olympics in Munich.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The Palestine Liberation Organization terrorist at 1972 Munich Olympics. (Others)</p>
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<p>At the Munich Olympics, eleven Israeli Olympic team members were taken as the hostage and eventually killed, along with a German police officer, by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September. The attack was motivated by the desire to release members of the Palestine Liberation Organization held in captivity in Israeli prisons. German neo-Nazis gave logistical help to the commander of the terrorist group, Luttif Afif in carrying out the brutal attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Boston Marathon of 2013 witnessed another bloody chapter in global sports history; two bombs were detonated near the finishing line, leaving three people dead and more than 260 injured. These attacks will always be considered as dark chapters in the history of sports, and the recent one targeting FIFA World Cup is another chapter added to the books on &#39;sports and terrorism&#39;.</p>

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<p>Double bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three people and injured at least 264. (Others)</p>
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<p>Terror threat to FIFA World Cup will definitely influence the football festival. Having millions of followers, the Argentinian star is a legend and is also one of the favourites in the football fraternity. The terrorist, thus, very judiciously picked up the poster boy of the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be played across 11 cities in Russia from&nbsp;June 14 to July 15, and the final will be played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.</p>

<p>Hence, these continuous terrorist threats raise a serious question as to how the Russian government is going to deal with the security issues during the World Cup. Meanwhile, these threats will remain the main concern for football fans and followers, who are eager to visit Russia to support their favourite teams.</p>


Vulnerable targets, media exposure, and international impact are some of the reasons why terrorists have increasingly started targeting sporting venues.

Pro-#ISIS media unit Wafa' Foundation continues to threaten 2018 FIFA #WorldCup, this time using an image of #LionelMessi in a prison outfit pic.twitter.com/isB8RDKYAK — SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) October 24, 2017 × Ahead of the FIFA World Cup to be held in 2018, the Wafa Media Foundation, a pro-ISIS group on Twitter, releases a shocking image to threaten fans and followers of football. The Islamic State's mouthpiece used the face of the Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi to convey their ideology. The released poster says 'Just Terrorism' and 'You are fighting a state that does not have failure in its dictionary'. Also in the poster, Lionel Messi is standing behind the bar with one eye crying blood. The poster is intended to spread terror among football fans, indicating also that the terror group may carry a terror attack during FIFA World Cup. The other posters released by them contain pictures of rifles and explosives. Last week, Wafa Media Foundation published one photo of a fighter carrying a rifle and a time-bomb with the ISIS black flag in front of a football stadium. The official symbol of the 2018 World Cup finals was also included in the image. The poster says, "Oh, enemies of Allah in Russia, I swear that the fire of the mujahideen will burn them, just wait,". (Twitter) × Politics has always been part of all sporting events in the recorded history of humankind. When Indian football clubs played with their British counterpart, it was very much a display of nationalist sentiment. In more recent times, every cricket match between India and Pakistan was an extension of the political tension that exists between the two nation. Winning a match has become more than a sporting event, it has come to signify, unfortunately, the superiority of one nation over the other. Political permeation of sports is not limited to the subcontinent; every football match played between and English and Wales football club show the domineering influence of politics, often sidelining the sporting spirit. For repressive minority groups, sports events have often served as a tool to convey their sufferings to the rest of the world. For instance, recently, American football player Colin Kaepernick initiated a protest against New York police brutality. The NFL players either took a knee during the national anthem before a game or stand with arms locked in silent protest. This bold move started as a result of repeated videos showing police shooting and killing unarmed black men. NFL protest (Others) × Racism has time again inspired players to protest. In the 1968 Olympics, 200m gold and bronze medalist Tommie Smith and John Carlos respectively took up a public stance against racism. They stood with their heads bowed and raising a black-gloved hand as the American National Anthem played during the victory ceremony. Tommie Smith and John Carlos (Others) × But, terrorism in sports is something that has caused global concern and condemnation. The threat of terrorism has become a major threat to all major sporting events as causing a debacle there, the terrorists understand well enough, would have global repercussions. Sporting events, such as the Olympics, football tournaments and cricket matches have been targeted, some of them had a larger impact such as the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The Palestine Liberation Organization terrorist at 1972 Munich Olympics. (Others) × At the Munich Olympics, eleven Israeli Olympic team members were taken as the hostage and eventually killed, along with a German police officer, by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September. The attack was motivated by the desire to release members of the Palestine Liberation Organization held in captivity in Israeli prisons. German neo-Nazis gave logistical help to the commander of the terrorist group, Luttif Afif in carrying out the brutal attack. The Boston Marathon of 2013 witnessed another bloody chapter in global sports history; two bombs were detonated near the finishing line, leaving three people dead and more than 260 injured. These attacks will always be considered as dark chapters in the history of sports, and the recent one targeting FIFA World Cup is another chapter added to the books on 'sports and terrorism'. Double bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three people and injured at least 264. (Others) × Terror threat to FIFA World Cup will definitely influence the football festival. Having millions of followers, the Argentinian star is a legend and is also one of the favourites in the football fraternity. The terrorist, thus, very judiciously picked up the poster boy of the game. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be played across 11 cities in Russia from June 14 to July 15, and the final will be played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Hence, these continuous terrorist threats raise a serious question as to how the Russian government is going to deal with the security issues during the World Cup. Meanwhile, these threats will remain the main concern for football fans and followers, who are eager to visit Russia to support their favourite teams.

Munich to Messi: Why terror haunts sports

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