PA RELEASES HAMAS PRISONERS; FAYYAD SAYS NO CHANGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000326 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2024 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL CVIS IS KWBG SUBJECT: PA RELEASES HAMAS PRISONERS; FAYYAD SAYS NO CHANGE IN POLICY Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) released 52 Hamas detainees on February 24. PM Fayyad said the 52 detainees were scheduled to be released because they posed no threat to the PA or Israel, but that the timing of their release was orchestrated by the Muqata'a in advance of the Cairo reconciliation talks. He said the PA's anti-terror campaign will continue irrespective of political considerations. Fatah officials described the release as a goodwill gesture before national reconciliation talks begin February 26. Hamas greeted the release as a "step in the right direction", but demanded further concessions from the PA. Partial list of detainees released at para 5. End Summary. PASF RELEASE HAMAS DETAINEES PRIOR TO NATIONAL DIALOGUE -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) The PASF released 52 Hamas detainees in the West Bank February 24, primarily from Mukhabarat and Preventive Security Organization (PSO) detention. Mid-level Mukhabarat and PSO officials told PolSpec on February 25 that President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and PM Salam Fayyad approved the release of these Hamas members, all of whom had been detained for weeks and interrogated. They said none were implicated in security violations or pose a threat to the PA or Israel. FAYYAD SAYS ARRESTS, RELEASES BASED ON LEGAL AND SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS -------------- ¶3. (C) PM Fayyad told the Consul General on February 25 that the detainees had been scheduled for release over the past weeks, but that the Muqata'a timed the release to coincide with reconciliation talks. Fayyad said he issued clear orders to the security chiefs that anti-terror arrests will continue and that the PASF will arrest or release detainees based only on security considerations. National Security Forces (NSF) Commander Diab al-Ali (Abu Fatah) and Istikhabarat (Military Intelligence) Chief Majid Farraj told PolSpec on February 25 that they will not release a large number of Hamas detainees again during the talks. HAMAS OFFICIALS: LIMITED RELEASES ARE NOT ENOUGH FATAH OFFICIALS: GOODWILL GESTURE -------------- --- ¶4. (U) Hamas officials, including Ismail Radwan, publicly described the release of Hamas detainees as "a step in the right direction," but said that it fell short of their expectations. Hamas PLC member in Gaza Yunis al-Astal said PASF efforts will undermine reconciliation talks and reiterated Hamas's demand that all detainees be released. He accused the PA of collaborating with Israel and called for the opening of Hamas-affiliated NGOs in the West Bank. ¶5. (C) Fatah officials, including Nabil Amre and Nabil Shaath, stated publicly that the release was a goodwill gesture in advance of upcoming reconciliation talks in Cairo. (Comment: Fatah has been putting pressure on PM Fayyad to release Hamas detainees, consistent with Hamas demands. PM Fayyad has held the line on this with political cover from Abu Mazen. However, Fatah is using these releases for its political advantage. End Comment.) HAMAS DETAINEES RELEASES IN THE WEST BANK -------------- ¶6. (C) Following is a partial list of Hamas detainees released by the PASF in the West Bank February 24, according to PASF officials. ¶A. The Mukhabarat released the following detainees: -- in Nablus: Hayal Abdul Aziz Imran; Adam Jamil Ishtayeh; Usama Abdul Rahim Hijawi; and Muhammad Abdullah Mahmud; -- in Jenin: Hasan Muhammad al-Zaghal; and Ala'a Arif Hamad; -- in Bethlehem: Bassam Abed Rabbo; Qasem Naem Balbul; and Samih Ahmad Abdul Rahman al-Sabah; -- in Ramallah: Jalal Biari; Fadi Nadi; Muhammad Ibrahim Sabah; Iyad Mahmud Said Safi; and Muhammad Jamil Abdul Razeq; -- in Hebron: Basal Halayqa; Shadi Ghanaymat; and Munif Nabil Musa al-Amayreh; -- in Salfit: Juma'a Ibrahim Ramadan; and Ala'a Mazen Ahmad; JERUSALEM 00000326 002 OF 002 -- in Tulkarem: Ala'a Mazen Anbas; and Shaykh Laith Attili; -- and in the Jerusalem area: Muhammad Anwar Hasan Mansur. ¶B. The PSO released the following detainees: -- in Nablus: Taha Mansur; Fadi Bishtawi; and Jasir Hamadeh from the Balata Refugee Camp; -- in Tulkarem: Abdul Fattah Qaddumi; Rushdi Jayusi; Fadi Amair; and Hussayn Ya'acub. WALLES