RAMALLAH — The ruling Fatah movement has asserted that the Islamic opposition was planning to overthrow the Palestinian Authority.

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The Fatah statement on Sept. 21 came amid an unprecedented PA crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank. Hamas has asserted that nearly 800 of its operatives have been arrested over the last three weeks.

Fatah spokesman Ahmed Assaf said the ouster of the PA from the Gaza Strip was also planned by Hamas leaders in the West Bank, Middle East Newsline reported. Assaf said Hamas leaders in the West Bank must condemn the Islamic regime in the Gaza Strip.

The PA crackdown was launched after Hamas claimed responsibility for the killing of four Israeli civilians south of Hebron on Aug. 31. The killing was attributed to a Hamas campaign to destabilize the West Bank amid PA talks with Israel.

Israel and the PA were said to have been cooperating in the crackdown on Hamas. On Sept. 17, Israeli troops killed a Hamas military leader in Tulkarm. Iyad Abu Shalabiya, 37, was said to have been responsible for Hamas operations in the northern West Bank.

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