PA CARRIES OUT LOCAL SECURITY CAMPAIGNS IN TOWNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001611

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2018
TAGS: KWBG PTER PGOV IS
SUBJECT: PA CARRIES OUT LOCAL SECURITY CAMPAIGNS IN TOWNS
SOUTHWEST OF HEBRON, RAIDS NEAR QALQILIYA AND NABLUS

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


1. (C) PA security contacts told PolOff and Pol FSN August
26-27 that National Security Forces (NSF) units with police
and intelligence support led patrols and arrest raids near
Hebron in al-Dhahiriya (Area A) and Bayt Awa (Area B) from
August 24-27. PA spokesmen told local press August 24 that
the campaign, directed by Hebron NSF commander BG Samih
al-Sayfi and police chief Col Ramadan Awad, will focus on
capturing wanted criminals who have fled Hebron, arresting
arms and narcotics dealers, and seizing stolen/unregistered
vehicles. (Note: While NSF contacts said 400 security
officers are involved in the campaign, this figure is a
composite total of all involved in security activities south
and west of Hebron, and does not include significant forces
from outside the Hebron governorate. End note).


2. (C) In separate actions, PA security contacts report that
the Qalqiliya NSF arrested four Palestinians (Nidal Yunis,
Wisam Imran, Mustafa Salim and Baha'a Salamah) from Azzun
village suspected of throwing firebombs and stones at Israeli
cars traveling between the settlements of Karne Shomron and
Alfe Menashe. These security contacts also report that PA
intelligence forces seized six suspected Hamas activists in
villages north of Nablus on August 27.

Hamas Reports Arrests of Its Activists
--------------


3. (U) Hamas spokesmen reported the arrest of 14 of their
members by PA intelligence forces August 25-27. Eight of
these were arrested in Nablus, two in Hebron, three from the
Tulkarm area, and one near Bethlehem, according to Hamas
spokesmen.

WALLES