Israeli Forces Arrest Palestinian Parliament Speaker
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Israeli forces seized Palestinian Parliament Speaker Aziz Dweik in a wave of abductions in connection with the alleged disappearance of three teenage settlers.
Dweik, who is a member of the Palestinian resistance Hamas, was seized in the West Bank, the Israeli military said in a Monday statement.
More than 150 Palestinians have so far been abducted under the pretext of the alleged disappearance. Israel claims they went missing in the southern West Bank last Thursday, accusing the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas of kidnapping them.
Hamas rejects Israel’s claim saying Tel Aviv intends to sabotage the recent reconciliation accord reached between the movement and Fatah that led to the formation of the Palestinian national unity government.
Amani Sarahna, a spokeswoman for the Palestinian Prisoners Club, said 60 people were detained on Sunday, adding that the wave of arrests was “still ongoing” in the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron), Press TV reported.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli forces abducted Hamas leaders Hassan Yousef, Wasfi Qabaha, Khaled Abu Arafeh and Mohammed Totah.
Israel has also closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing used for fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip following the alleged disappearance of the settlers. The Kerem Shalom crossing is the only way for fuel tankers to enter the besieged enclave.
