In late 2008, the PA arrested Mohammed Al Buhaisi on charges of trying
to organize a Hamas militia cell in the West Bank, Middle East Newsline reported. Al Buhaisi arrived in the
West Bank, where he was followed and held in detention for 100 days. As part
of a deal with Hamas, Al Buhaisi was released and returned to the Gaza Strip
in March 2009.
The sources said the PA has detained about 550 Hamas operatives over the
last year. They said dozens of operatives have been repeatedly arrested.
In April 2009, the PA renewed its crackdown against Hamas. The sources
said dozens of Hamas operatives, many of them released earlier in the year,
were arrested in such cities as Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Jericho, Kalkilya,
Nablus and Tulkarm.
The sources said the PA has determined that Hamas established weapons
caches in several West Bank cities. They said the militia cells have
remained underground and were awaiting orders from the Hamas leadership in
Syria.
Abbas has sought to renew a dialogue with the Hamas regime in the Gaza
Strip. On April 7, the PA chairman, in the first mission in nearly two
years, sent two envoys to meet Hamas and other representatives in the Gaza
Strip. Egypt has invited Fatah and Hamas for the resumption of a
reconciliation dialogue in Cairo on April 26.
