Palestinian Legislative Council member Mahmoud Ramahi said nearly 430
Hamas members were arrested in June, which he called a record. Ramahi, a
leading member of Hamas in the West Bank, said the PA crackdown was meant to
pressure the Islamic opposition to stop its activities.
Hamas has dismissed PA claims of an Iranian-financed military
infrastructure in the West Bank. Hamas spokespeople said many of those
arrested over the last month included professors, politicians, journalists
and mosque preachers.
In late June, PA leaders, including Abbas, accused Hamas of plotting to
destroy the Fatah-dominated regime in the West Bank. PA secretary-general
Tayeb Abdul Rahim said 10 Hamas military operatives were arrested and
charged with planning to kill PA leaders on July 1. Abdul Rahim said the
detainees were found to have possessed weapons as well as photographs of
senior PA security officers.
One of the plotters was identified as Zaher Abu Jeba. The sources said
Abu Jeba, arrested in Ramallah in mid-June, received three million euro from
Hamas to kill Abbas.
"The Hamas leadership in the West Bank is not part of this plot," the
source said. "This is something that is coming straight from Iran, with help
from the Gaza Strip."