Palestinian Authority orders raids on Hamas mosques
RAMALLAH — The Palestinian Authority has confronted Hamas-controlled
mosques in the West Bank.
Islamic sources said Palestinian security forces, under orders from PA
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, have raided Hamas mosques and arrested clerics and
suspected Islamic opponents in several cities in the West Bank. The sources
said PA commanders have warned clerics not to use their mosques for
political sermons.
The crackdown was said to have been conducted by the PA Preventive
Security Apparatus, the most powerful agency in the West Bank, Middle East Newsline reported. The sources
said PSA officers visited mosques and warned Hamas clerics against
discussing Israel or the United States in Friday sermons, the most
well-attended during the week.
"PSA officers warned the preachers not to criticize Israel or the United
States as well as not interfere in politics during Friday sermons," a
source said.
The sources said PA forces raided several Hamas mosques in such cities
as Hebron, Nablus and Ramallah. They said the forces seized computers, files
and tore down notices in the mosques.
So far, most of the Hamas clerics were said to have defied the PA. The
sources said Hamas clerics railed against Israel and the United States in
sermons on July 20.
"It might be the last sermon for us in our mosques as we expect Abbas's
security forces to prevent us from again standing on the pulpit," an
unidentified preacher said.
PSA and General Intelligence have led the crackdown against Hamas
activists in the West Bank. The sources said nearly 450 Hamas members, most
of them low-level operatives, were arrested since June 15.
"We believe Abbas is responsible for the crackdown," an Islamic source
said.
