Abbas police, Israel arrest Hamas members in West Bank

By Xinhua,

Ramallah : The security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli army arrested 21 Islamic Hamas activists all-over the West Bank, Hamas movement said Wednesday.


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Hamas said in a statement sent to reporters that Abbas security forces arrested 11 Hamas members in the West Bank, while the Israeli army raided towns and villages in the area and arrested ten Palestinians.

Israeli Radio, Arabic service and Palestinian security sources said the Israeli army arrested ten Palestinians in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Nablus and Hebron.

Hamas said Abbas security forces continued for the fourth consecutive day the crackdown on Hamas members all-over the West Bank areas.

It said that the security forces of Abbas arrested Wednesday 11Hamas members and supporters in the cities of Nablus, Qalqilia, Tubas, Ramallah, Jenin and Salfit after storming their homes.

Since Friday, Abbas security forces arrested over than 150 Palestinians, affiliated with Hamas movement, including the deputy mayor of Nablus, academics, notables and intellectuals.

Abbas security forces crackdown in the West Bank was a response to Hamas security forces crackdown on Fatah movement members and institutions in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

The exchange of crackdown came after a bomb attack on a Hamas militants’ car on Gaza city beachside last Friday, which killed five Hamas militants and a child. Hamas immediately accused Fatah movement for being directly behind the attack.

Egypt is exerting efforts to invite within the coming few days leaders of the Palestinian factions and political groups, including Fatah and Hamas to launch a comprehensive dialogue.

The two movements have severed dialogue right after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip last summer following weeks of fighting with Fatah movement’s militants. Hamas routed Abbas security forces and took control of the enclave.

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