Believed to Disrupt Elections…

Zionist Troops Arrest Dozens of Palestinians

Date: 13 April 2021 - 22:20

News ID: ۸۹۱۲۹

West Bank (Dispatches) – Zionist troops have arrested at least 25 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, Jordanian news agency Petra reported.
The army stormed the cities of al-Khalil, Bethlehem, Salfit, Jenin, and East al-Quds, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society said in a statement. It added that the citizens were arrested under the pretext that they were wanted by regime authorities.
Among those detained were prominent members of the Hamas resistance movement and former prisoner Mona Qa’dan.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Mahmoud Qa’dan, Mona’s brother, said Zionist troops raided his sister’s house at dawn in the town of Arraba and took her into custody.
"Mona was previously arrested five times, and was last released in 2016 after 40 months of detention in the occupation prisons,” Mahmoud said.
A local source in al-Khalil, who spoke to Anadolu on condition of anonymity, said the Hamas member Mustafa Shawer, Palestinian Legislative Council member Omar al-Qawasmi, and Anas Rasras were among those arrested in the raids.
A young woman, Shams Mashaqi, was also arrested from her village of Yaseed near Nablus.
Hamas has described the arrests of some of its leaders and members in recent weeks as "an attempt to disrupt and stop the course of the elections”.
Palestinians will vote in a legislative election on May 22. At least three members of the Hamas slate of candidates for the election have been arrested in recent weeks.
According to Fuad al-Khuffash, a Palestinian human rights researcher and expert on prisoners’ affairs, the arrest of Hamas members and supporters in the run-up to the vote was an attempt to harm the faction’s electoral chances.
"Prior to the 2006 elections, Israel arrested more than 560 leaders and members of Hamas,” he said.
Al-Khuffash said the regime’s tactic of arresting such people is aimed at "emptying the arena of influential people” who can determine the direction of the elections and limiting Hamas’s choice of who can run.