ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLENT HAMAS CAMPAIGN AGAINST

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 000189

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; DRL FOR HARRIS/JOHNSTONE; NSC
FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM KWBG KPAL IS GZ
SUBJECT: ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLENT HAMAS CAMPAIGN AGAINST
FATAH MEMBERS IN GAZA

REF: A. GMP20090122762008

B. GMP20090122643001

C. 08 JERUSALEM 2322

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


1. (C) Summary. PLO and Fatah officials have alleged that
Hamas is undertaking a campaign against Fatah members in
Gaza, killing some, maiming or arresting others. Hamas has
claimed it is arresting "collaborators" who passed tactical
information to the IDF during the Gaza conflict. End summary.

Allegations Against Hamas
--------------


2. (U) At a January 22 press conference, PLO Executive
Committee Secretary General Yaser Abd Rabbo blamed Hamas for
"turning its guns" on Fatah members in Gaza. "Hamas has
turned Gaza schools, universities, and hospitals into centers
for the detention, interrogation, and torture of the Fatah
cadres," Abd Rabbo said (ref A). Several Hamas spokesmen
denied the allegation. Hamas Political Bureau member
Muhammad Nazzal told al-Arabiyah (ref B) that Hamas is
arresting "collaborators" only and suggested that the death
of Said Siam, the former Hamas Minister of Interior, resulted
from information passed by Palestinians to the IDF. There
are also reports of Hamas closures of Fatah-affiliated social
institutions and arrests of their employees (septel). During
the conflict in Gaza, Hamas MOI spokesman in Gaza, Ihab
al-Ghusayn confirmed that Hamas had executed suspected
"collaborators" while airstrikes were ongoing.

Gaza Contacts, GI Tracking Multiple Cases
--------------


3. (C) The PA MOI in Ramallah has prepared a detailed
accounting of allegations against Hamas, drawing on reports
from Fatah, GI, and Military Intelligence, from the beginning
of IDF operations in Gaza on December 27 to January 22. PA
contacts said they intend to present this list to the
Egyptian General Intelligence Service (EGIS) through
intelligence channels, to raise the profile of the issue and
to provide a counterpoint to Hamas allegations, made during
reconciliation negotiations, that Fatah is holding Hamas
"political prisoners" in the West Bank. The document gives a
day-by-day accounting of alleged executions, incarcerations,
assaults, and house arrests.


4. (C) Ziad Abu Ein, member of the defunct Fatah High
Committee in Gaza, told PolSpec January 22 that Hamas had
kneecapped Fatah members Abdalkareem al-Marahil, Ali Saqi,
Osama Oweidah, Mahmud Jadallah, Majed al-Astal, Bayan
al-Agha, and Zuhair al-Aydi in the days following the end of
IDF operations. Abu Ein alleged that Hamas killed 17 Fatah
members, and wounded 61 by shooting them in the legs, since
the Gaza conflict began.


5. (C) Salim Qaysi, a PA General Intelligence (GI) official
in the West Bank, confirmed to PolSpec on January 22 that GI
is attempting to verify the reports of targeting Fatah
members in Gaza. He could not confirm, but did not deny,
attacks on the seven people reported by Abu Ein. He said GI
is investigating reports that Hamas arrested Fatah members
Nidal Majed al-Akhras, Hatem Abu Habal, and Ahmad al-Habeel.
Qaysi linked the Hamas arrest campaign to efforts by Fatah to
organize demonstrations in Gaza celebrating the "victory"
against Israel. Fatah contacts said three members reported
missing from al-Saraya prison at the beginning of the
conflict (ref C) are still missing and presumed re-arrested
by Hamas.

WALLES