One hurdle, they said, was to persuade Tanzim, the Fatah militia, to endorse the document.

This is the Fatah militia, which Israel calls a terrorist organization under Mr. Arafat's control.

This followed action by Hamas armed forces to take control of Palestinian Authority positions that were under the control of Fatah militias armed and supported by the United States and Israel.

It aimed to restore law and order in the city but instead broke out into clashes with Fatah militias.

The brigade is the nominal outgrowth of a Fatah militia called Tanzim, Arabic for "organization."

Mr. Farah was suspected of being involved in building a private Fatah militia, and he remained in custody on Monday.

Muhammad Tawfiq, a Preventive Security officer from Nablus and the head of a Fatah militia there, said that Hamas had treated fellow Palestinians "the way that Hitler dealt with the Jews."

The Fatah militia organized demonstrations across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip today to protest the Sharm el Sheik accords.

This followed action by Hamas armed forces to take control of Palestinian Authority positions controlled by Fatah militias.

The very name of the Fatah militia - Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade - reflects what some Palestinian officials lament is an Islamicization of the faction, as it tried to top Hamas.