israel detains hamas mps

7/29/2019 Israel Detains Hamas MPs

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Israel detains Hamas MPs, officials across West Bank

Published today (updated) 04/02/2013 15:06

An Israeli soldier points during clashes with stone throwing Palestinians in the

West Bank village of Burin, south of Nablus Feb. 2, 2013.

(Reuters/Ammar Awad)

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces conducted an arrest sweep of Hamas-

affiliated officials in the West Bank overnight Sunday, including three PalestinianMPs.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said 25 Palestinians were arrested overnight, with

23 belonging to the Islamist group.

She would not confirm whether Hamas lawmakers had been arrested and did not

provide any of the men's names or say why they had been detained.

Hamas said in a statement that the three Hamas lawmakers -- Ahmed Attoun in al-

Bireh, Hatem Qafisha in Hebron and Mohammed al-Tal in al-Dhahiriyya -- had been

detained in the early hours of the morning.

"It is a criminal act that will not succeed in stopping their struggle," the

statement said, "We in the Hamas movement strongly condemn the campaign of

arbitrary arrests that took in dozens of Hamas leaders."

Local leaders


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Twelve other Hamas officials were seized in the raids overnight Saturday, as well

as several Palestinians not holding a political position, according to local sources.

In Hebron, forces detained Dr Zein Addin Shabanah from Hebron city and Sheikh

Samir Buheis from Yatta.

In Ramallah, Israeli troops arrested Sheikh Falah Nada from Al-Bireh and Adnan

al-Husary was seized in Tulkarem. In Qalqiliya, Riyad Walweel and Sheikh Muhsin

al-Hardan were detained.

Five other Hamas officials were seized in the Nablus district. They were

identified as Adnan Asfour, Bahaa Yaish, and Bakr Said Bilal from Nablus city, andOmar al-Jibrini from Balata refugee camp and Mahmoud Saqr Asida from Tal

village.

Meanwhile, locals identified seven other Palestinians detained overnight. They

were named as Fadi al-Amouri from Tulkarem, Mamoon Muhammad Zawahira from

Doha in Bethlehem. In the Nablus village of Qaryut, Jihad Salah Addin Badawi,

Nidal Salah Addin Badawi, Mujalli Zuheir Issa, Qahir Ahmad Muammar, and Shakir

Ahmad Mousa were all detained.

Israel holds 4,743 Palestinians in its prisons, including 12 Palestinian MPs and 178

held without charge, according to latest figures from prisoners group Addameer.

Impediment to reconciliation

Gaza's minister of prisoners' affairs Atallah Abu al-Sabh warned that the

detentions could impede the ongoing efforts to achieve reconciliation between

rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.

At a Gaza City news conference the official laid some blame at the Fatah-led

authorities in the West Bank.

"These detentions wouldn't have been made without high-level security

coordination," Abu al-Sabh said, referring to coordination between Israeli forces

and the Palestinian Authority's security services.


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Meanwhile, PLO official Hanan Ashrawi said the arrests were an Israeli intrusion

into internal Palestinian politics.

"It is apparent the Israeli government is implementing a policy of intimidation and

power politics to meddle in Palestinian domestic affairs and to undermine

reconciliation efforts," she said in a statement.

She urged Arab, European and international parliaments to urge Israel to respect

human rights, including the immunity of democratically elected officials, saying

"Israel is not above the law."

Reuters contributed to this report

Israeli forces arrest 11 in West Bank

Published yesterday (updated) 04/02/2013 12:11

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained 11 people in the West Bank

overnight Saturday, locals and Israel's army said.

Dozens of military vehicles raided the village of Beit Fajjar, south Bethlehem, and

arrested Mohammad Majed Amro Thwabteh, 20, Ali Mohammad Thwabteh, 28,

Ihsan Hamied Takatka, 19, Mohammad Salih Thwabteh, 23, Jihad Ahmad

Thwabteh, 23, Ala Nasri Takatka, 20, Shadi Walid Takatka, 20, Amro Ayed

Takatka, 18, Imad Mahmud Takatka 18, and Mohammad Jihad Takatka, 17, locals

said.


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An Israeli army spokeswoman said 11 people were detained, one in Nablus, one in

Hebron and nine in Beit Fajjar.

Israeli military forces routinely carry out overnight arrest raids throughout the

West Bank, usually detaining suspects on the pretext of security.

Around 40 percent of Palestinian men living in the occupied territories have been

detained by Israel at some point in their lives.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem since 1967.

israel detains hamas mps

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