PA CLOSES WEST BANK NGOS SUSPECTED OF TERROR

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001513

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA, NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/SINGH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2018
TAGS: KWBG PTER PGOV IS
SUBJECT: PA CLOSES WEST BANK NGOS SUSPECTED OF TERROR
CONNECTIONS

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) Summary. PA security contacts report closure of at
least 12 institutions suspected of Hamas connections August
4-13, on orders from PM Salam Fayyad and PA Interior Minister
Abd al-Razaq al-Yahya. According to President Abbas'
Military Secretary, BG Jihad al-Jayusi, Abbas and Fayyad
ordered the campaign against Hamas-connected organizations,
and believe it has been effective in disrupting Hamas plans
to create disorder and embarrass the PA. Several of the
institutions were on "target lists" provided by the IDF in an
initial step to improve information sharing on terrorist
organizations. Institutions closed and persons arrested for
suspected Hamas involvement are listed below. End summary.

PA Shuts Down Nablus NGOs,
Orders Management Changes
--------------


2. (C) Mukhabarat contacts report that closure orders were
enforced on the al-Iman Forum for Quran Memorization and the
al-Quds Technical and Advertisement Center in Nablus for
"illegal activities" on August 9, and two Hamas-linked print
shops on August 13, confiscating all equipment. These
contacts said PA Interior Minister Abd al-Razaq al-Yahya
issued an order requiring that the managing boards of these
organizations be replaced before they would be allowed to
reopen. The President's Military Secretary, BG Jihad
al-Jayusi, told POLOFF August 12 that President Abbas and PM
Fayyad ordered the campaign against Hamas-connected
organizations. They believe it has been effective in
disrupting Hamas plans to create disorder and embarrass the
PA, according to BG al-Jayusi.

PA Security Closes Organizations
in Hebron Suspected of Hamas Links
--------------


3. (S) PA Mukhabarat contacts report that PA Security Forces
(PASF) raided the Tafuh Cultural Center near Hebron August 6.
Hamas spokesmen told press that PASF arrested suspected
Hamas supporters Harb Ahmad Zriqat, Muhammad Ahmad Zriqat and
Shahir Khamaysa, closed the Center, and confiscated its
furniture and equipment. Mukhabarat contacts report a second
raid August 6 on the al-Aqsa Orphans School, a subsidiary of
the Islamic Charitable Society, in Bayt Ula village (near
Hebron). (Note: The Islamic Charitable Society has been a
frequent target of IDF raids. Neither the Tufuh Center nor
the al-Aqsa School were on any "target lists" that the IDF
has provided the PA in the past two weeks, but Mukhabarat
contacts say they informed the GOI August 4 that these two
institutions would be closed for suspected Hamas connections.
End note).


4. (S) Mukhabarat contacts report additional August 4-6
raids on:
a) the al-Anwar Center for Culture and Arts in Dura (SW of
Hebron),detaining teachers Na'im Talahmih and Salam
al-Hraybat while they were giving a lecture to students
(Note: this was a site on a list of institutions that the GOI
asked the PA to close. End note);

b) The Islamic Studies complex in al-Dhahariya (SW corner
of the West Bank) (Note: The GOI asked the PA to close the
"Islamic Charity Association" in Dahariya; it is not clear if
the GOI-listed institution is the same as the complex closed
by the PA. End note);

c) Printing/pamphlet businesses in Hebron's al-Huda and
Lujayn neighborhoods (Note: Palestinian press report that
Interior Minster Abd al-Razaq al-Yahya ordered these
institutions and businesses closed indefinitely after
receiving information that they were producing materials
inciting violence or slandering the PA; they also appear to
be targets listed on the GOI target list. End note);

d) A school in Bayt Ummar suspected of Hamas connections.
The school remains closed.

Additional Anti-Terror Arrests
--------------


5. (SBU) Palestinian press reported additional PA arrest
raids August 6-13, and detention of the following 22 suspects:
-- Hassan Qaddumi, a Baytunia municipal employee, on August
13 for Hamas activities;

-- Nassir Qasrawi, legislative office director in Salfit,
on August 13 for Hamas activities;

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-- Majid al-Qadi, mosque employee in Zayta (near Ramallah)
on August 13 for Hamas activities;

-- Abdallah al-Sa'afin and Khaldun Maythalum, in the
Ramallah area on August 13 for Hamas activities;

-- Mahir Abd al-Qadr Shalaldah and Nu'ah Manasra, in
villages near Hebron on August 13 on suspicion of running
Hamas front organizations;

-- Mahmud Khadr and Samr Subih, in al-Fara' Refugee Camp
(Tubas Governorate),on August 13 for Hamas activities;

-- Hussam Harb Abu Hassan, Fuad al-Khafish and Ahmad Abd
al-Hafiz, in the Salfit area on August 13, for Hamas
activities;

-- Mu'taz al-Juba' and Islamic charity attorney Abd
al-Karim Farrah, in Hebron August 11;
-- Basim Salayman, arrested for Hamas activities in Hebron
August 11;

-- Hamas members Shaykh Shukri Awad and Muhammad Shilbaya,
arrested by the Mukhabarat August 11 near Abu Bakr al-Siddiq
Mosque in Nur Shams Refugee Camp (Tulkarm),for possession of
incitement material and instigating disorder;

-- Walid Al-Sayyid, in Balata Camp on August 6, for
suspected Hamas membership. Walid is the brother of Ashraf
Al-Sayyid, who carried out a bombing attack in Israel;

-- Islam Riyad Budayr, an al-Najah University student on
August 6, for suspected links to PIJ. Islam's brother, Riyad
Budayr, was an al-Quds Brigades (PIJ mil-wing) leader before
he was killed by Israeli security forces;

-- Shaykh Zaki al-'Amarna, imam of al-Shuhada mosque in
Kubar village (near Ramallah) on August 6, for suspected
terrorist ties;

-- Umar al-Barghouthi, on August 6 for suspected terrorist
ties;

-- Muntassir Arhamiyyah, on August 6 for suspected
terrorist ties.
WALLES