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PA arrests dozens of Hamas activists in West Bank

[ssba]

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has carried out large-scale arrests targeting Hamas activists in the West Bank since the weekend.

Although the number of arrests made has not been confirmed, it has been reported that at least 50 Hamas supporters have been apprehended, in the biggest crackdown of its type in years. Apparently, the arrests took place in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron and Jenin and those arrested included students, writers, journalists, lawyers and teachers. PA spokesman Adnan Al-Damiri did not specify why the arrests were carried out, but simply commented, “Arrests are made in accordance with the law and not on grounds of political affiliation.”

The arrests come after the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) last week voted to recommend that the PA end security cooperation with Israel. Coordination between Israeli and PA forces has been a crucial factor in the relative quiet in the West Bank in recent years, despite attempts by Hamas to inflame violence against both Israel and the PA. The arrests since the weekend may have been a pointed demonstration by the PA that it can maintain order in the West Bank independently of Israel.

Hamas however alleged that the arrests were evidence of the exact opposite. Hamas spokesman Hossam Badran said, “This wave of arrests proves that the security coordination [with Israel] continues at the highest level and there is no weight behind the PLO’s Central Council decision to end the cooperation.”

In April, PA President Mahmoud Abbas announced that his Fatah faction had entered a national unity government with Hamas, in a decision which hailed the end of peace talks between the PA and Israel. However, there has been little evidence of cooperation between Fatah and Hamas since then, which among other things has hampered the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The recent arrests may be retribution by the PA for the detention of tens of Fatah members in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in recent weeks.