IOF Conduct Wave of Arrests against Leaders and Members of Hamas and PFLP in the West Bank

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) are conducting a wave of arrests against political leaders, activists and members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the West Bank.

IOF have also stormed the office of Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) from the Change and Reform Bloc affiliated to Hamas in Tulkarm, and confiscated some of its contents. This campaign coincides with the forty-fourth anniversary of the establishment of PFLP, 11 December 2011, and the forty-second anniversary of the establishment of Hamas, 14 December 2011.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 01:00 on Wednesday, 07 December 2011, IOF arrested Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Haqq, 65, from his house in Nablus. Abdul Haqq is a political leader of the PFLP and a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at al-Najah University. IOF also arrested Dr. “Mohammed ’Azzam” Sobhi Husni Ghazal, 54, a leader of Hamas and a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering at al-Najah University as well. Another six members of Hamas were also arrested in Nablus.

On 06 December 2011, IOF stormed the office of the Hamas affiliated Change and Reform Bloc in Tulkarm, breaking down the outside gate and door to the office while breaking in. IOF confiscated two computer hard drives from the office, in addition to a laptop and documents relevant to PLC Members and their communication with human rights organizations.

The arrest campaign started on 01 December 2011. It has targeted 11 leaders and members of PFLP, including a member of PFLP’s Central Committee, Abdul Nasser Abdul ’Afou Mohammed Abdul ’Aziz, 55, who is known as (Nasser ’Aziz); and Ahmed Saleh Mesleh Abu Hassan (Abu Mashhour), 70, a member of the Palestinian National Council. Another three persons were also arrested in Beit Foreek village, east of Nablus. On 02 December 2011, IOF arrested:
1. Yasser al-Badrasawi, 47, a leader of Hamas in Nablus;
2. His brother Jameel, 64;
3. The latter’s son, Haytham, 24; and
4. Reda Mahmoud Mohammed Khaled, 53, a leader of PFLP in Nablus

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Another three members of PFLP were arrested in Nablus on 05 December 2011.

In light of the above, PCHR:

1. Strongly condemns this arrest campaign waged by IOF against political leaders and members of PFLP and Hamas, and condemns storming the office of PLC Members from the Change and Reform Bloc in Tulkarm; and

2. Calls upon the international community, including the European Union and UN bodies, to assume their responsibility through immediately taking measures to put an end to the violations of international law committed by Israel against Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.

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