By Xinhua,
Gaza : The armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) al-Qassam Brigades on Thursday called on its members in West Bank to use force if the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) forces tried to arrest them.
The call came after the security forces, dominated by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement, arrested two members of al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank city of Hebron.
“We call on our people and their fighters to defend themselves using any mean in the face of any attempt to arrest them by these unfaithful security apparatuses,” al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement to the media. “These security forces now act as a battalion from the Zionist army.”
Hamas says that more than 300 of its supporters and members were arrested in the West Bank since June 2006, half of them were still under detention.
Since taking over the Gaza Strip by force last year, Hamas also arrested hundreds of Fatah supporters and leaders.
Hamas has been cracking down on Fatah supporters in Gaza, while the PNA forces are scotching the Hamas supporters in the West Bank since the pro-Abbas forces lost control of the Gaza Strip for Hamas after deadly fighting last year.