Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The Islamist opposition has been quietly preparing to
seize power in the West Bank, a report said.

The Gatestone Institute asserted that Hamas and other Islamic movements
were rapidly expanding their presence in the Palestinian Authority as well
as other areas of the West Bank. The institute, in a report by a leading
Israeli analyst, said Hamas was operating under the cover of hundreds of
Islamic charities and organizations.

“An Israeli pullout from any part of the West Bank, under the current
circumstances, will undermine the Palestinian Authority and most likely lead to its collapse, paving the way for radicals to seize control,” the report, titled “Will the West Bank Become the Next Islamic Emirate?” said.

Author Khaled Abu Toameh said Hamas and other Islamic groups lacked weapons but maintained “broad public support among Palestinians.” Abu Toameh said the Israeli presence in the West Bank along with security coordination with the PA were preventing an Islamic takeover of the West Bank. Jordan has also worked with Israel to stop the rise of the Islamists.

“These efforts have thus far been successful in thwarting attempts by
radical groups to set up terror cells in the West Bank,” the report said.

The report cited a PA campaign against Hamas and Islamist groups in the
West Bank. The campaign included the arrest of thousands of suspected
Islamic fundamentalists by the PA and the Israel Army.

The PA has provided intelligence to Israel on Hamas, the report said.
Many of the Hamas suspects were detained without trial to avoiding
embarrassing the regime of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Still, the report said, Hamas has withstood the crackdown and was
expanding operations in the West Bank. This included social welfare, unions,
university students and mosques as well as schools.

Another rising Islamist movement in the West Bank was identified as
Hizb-ut-Tahrir, regarded as a pan-Islamic organization seeking to unify all
Muslims under an Islamic state. In 2012, Hizb held two major rallies in
Hebron and Ramallah — attended by tens of thousands — that called for an
Islamic caliphate.

“Hamas, Hizb-ut-Tahrir and their political and ideological allies in the
West Bank have been emboldened by the Arab Spring, which has seen the rise
of Muslim Brotherhood to power in a number of Arab countries, including
Tunisia and the largest Arab country, Egypt,” the report said. “These
organizations have further been encouraged by the apparent emergence of an
Islamic emirate in Sinai, next to the one that already exists in the
neighboring Gaza Strip.”

Abu Toameh, the Palestinian affairs correspondent of the Jerusalem Post,
said Israel and the PA must enhance security coordination to stop the
Islamist opposition. He also cited the need for cooperation between Jordan
and the PA as well as the retention of the Israeli presence in the West Bank
and along the border with Jordan.

“An Israeli pullout from any part of the West Bank, under the current
circumstances, will undermine the Palestinian Authority and most likely lead
to its collapse, paving the way for the radicals to seize control.” the
report said. “A strong Israeli presence along the border with Jordan is also
needed to prevent the smuggling of weapons and Muslim fundamentalists into
the West Bank. The Jordanians also need Israel on their border to keep Hamas
and the radicals from infiltrating the kingdom.”

  Arab Spring, Gatestone Institute, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Israel Army, Mahmoud Abbas, Muslim Brotherhood, Report: Islamists laying groundwork for West Bank coup