MOBILE DEVICES
Free Headline Alerts     
Worldwide Web WorldTribune.com

  breaking... 


Wednesday, October 6, 2010     GET YOUR INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Organized crime, gang violence disrupt Nablus

RAMALLAH — The economic capital of the Palestinian Authority remains a center of unrest.

ShareThis

Despite increased security, the northern city of Nablus has faced threats from armed gangs linked to the ruling Fatah movement. Palestinian sources said most of the violence stemmed from organized crime and attempts to extort businessmen and other residents.

"The situation in Nablus is better than before, but far worse than it should be given the amount of police and other security in the city," a Palestinian source said.


Also In This Edition

On Sept. 24, Fatah-aligned gunmen opened fire toward the Jaffa Cultural Center in a refugee camp east of Nablus. The attack took place at 1:20 a.m. and damaged windows and air conditioners.

"I immediately went to the offices once I received a phone call that they were fired upon," Jaffa director Fayez Hassan Arafat said.

Arafat did not say why the center was targeted. The Balata refugee camp has long been the battleground of crime cells linked to Fatah and other Palestinian factions.

Palestinian sources said security forces have increased their patrols of Balata. They said five suspects were arrested and interrogated in connection with the shooting. The PA has not disclosed details.

"A security force was in the area and initiated investigations," Arafat said.

The sources said Nablus has been divided into areas controlled by Fatah and the rival Hamas movement. The city, supported by the United States in promoting Western-style culture and tourism in the PA, has been headed by a Hamas mayor.

The cultural center was designed to focus on the development of children. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights has called for an investigation into the shooting.

"PCHR strongly condemns this attack, which is part of the state of security chaos and proliferation of weapons in the occupied Palestinian territories, and calls upon the attorney general's office to seriously investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice," the human rights center said.



About Us     l    Contact Us     l    Geostrategy-Direct.com     l    East-Asia-Intel.com
Copyright © 2010    East West Services, Inc.    All rights reserved.