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