PA sources said the Hamas members were accused of plotting against the
regime of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The sources said many of the detainees
had been warned against Hamas financing and recruitment activities.
"They were given a chance to practice their life normally and keep away
from illegal factional activities, but they chose not to," a PA security
source told the Maan news agency.
In December 2007, the PA deployed more than 300 officers to restore
order to Nablus, regarded as one of the most violent cities in the West
Bank. But Palestinian sources said the PA National Security Force and
civilian police avoided confrontations with Palestinian militias and
organized crime in the northern city.
PA sources said dozens of other Hamas operatives were arrested in the
West Bank city of Tulkarm. They said up to 200 Hamas members would be
rounded up throughout the West Bank by Aug. 1.
For its part, the Hamas regime has arrested more than 300 Fatah
operatives in wake of a series of bombings on July 25 in which seven people
were killed in Gaza City. Six of the casualties, including three Hamas
security officers, were reported in a bombing at a Gaza beach cafe.
On July 28, Fatah claimed to have identified the bomber of the Gaza
cafe. Fatah spokesman Fahmi Zaarir said the bomber was Jihad Hejeila, a
member of Hamas's military wing.
Zaarir said Hejeila was killed in the cafe explosion. The Fatah
spokesman said the attack targeted Hamas military commander Ahmed Jaabari
and marked
a feud within the ruling movement's Izzedin Kassam military wing.
Several Hamas commanders were said to have been arrested by the Islamic
regime. On July 29, Egyptian security sources reported the arrest of several
Palestinians suspected in the cafe bombing who had fled to the Sinai
Peninsula.
"We have information about internal problems in Hamas," Zaarir said.
"There is infighting around the issue of leadership and decisions related to
truce and dialogue with Fatah."
Palestinian sources said a Hamas delegation traveled to Egypt on July 28
for talks to end the crisis with Fatah. Egypt has hosted reconciliation
talks meant to pave the way for the PA's return to the Gaza Strip.
