Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JERUSALEM1933
2008-10-22 16:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:  

NEW HAMAS CRACKDOWN IN GAZA; AT LEAST 30 FATAH

Tags:  KWBG IS PGOV PTER PHUM 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1627
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1933 2961624
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 221624Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3066
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001933 

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/RAMCHAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PTER PHUM
SUBJECT: NEW HAMAS CRACKDOWN IN GAZA; AT LEAST 30 FATAH
ACTIVISTS DETAINED

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001933

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/RAMCHAND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PTER PHUM
SUBJECT: NEW HAMAS CRACKDOWN IN GAZA; AT LEAST 30 FATAH
ACTIVISTS DETAINED

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


1. (C) Gaza Governor Muhammad al-Qidwa told PolOff by phone
October 22 that Hamas security has arrested at least 30 Fatah
activists in a new crackdown, apparently in response to an
attempted attack on a Hamas military wing leader. Al-Qassam
Brigades (the Hamas military wing) spokesmen told Palestinian
press that unknown persons planted a mobile phone-activated
explosive device in front of al-Qassam leader Amjad Abu
al-Naja's home in Khan Yunis on October 21, but al-Qassam
militiamen discovered the device and chased off the gunmen
who planted it. They added that Hamas security engineers
then disarmed the device without incident. Hamas spokesmen
blamed "fifth columnists attempting to fan the flames of
intra-Palestinian rivalry and sabotage Egyptian-led
reconciliation" for the claimed assassination plot.


2. (C) Al-Qidwa told PolOff that Fatah was not involved in
the attempted attack and questioned whether Hamas invented
the incident "as a pretext to continue its campaign of
jailings, harassment, and intimidation." He said there has
been no allegation that any of the activists arrested were
involved in the alleged plot, and said most of those detained
were not in Khan Yunis when the incident took place.
Al-Qidwa says Hamas security men are monitoring him and other
Fatah and PLO leaders and never stopped their campaign of
arbitrary arrests.
WALLES