Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09JERUSALEM490
2009-03-19 15:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Jerusalem
Cable title:
IDF ARRESTS HAMAS POLITICAL FIGURES IN THE WEST
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHJM #0490 0781534 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 191534Z MAR 09 FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4409 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 8572 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 5149 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 4688 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000490
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL;
JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KWBG IS
SUBJECT: IDF ARRESTS HAMAS POLITICAL FIGURES IN THE WEST
BANK
REF: A. JERUSALEM 201
B. JERUSALEM 326
C. JERUSALEM 465
UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000490
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL;
JOINT STAFF FOR LTGEN SELVA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KWBG IS
SUBJECT: IDF ARRESTS HAMAS POLITICAL FIGURES IN THE WEST
BANK
REF: A. JERUSALEM 201
¶B. JERUSALEM 326
¶C. JERUSALEM 465
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The IDF arrested 20 senior Hamas officials
in the West Bank overnight on March 18-19. The IDF also
re-arrested a separate set of lower-profile Hamas during the
week of March 9. Both Hamas and the PA President's office
put out statements criticizing the arrests. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (SBU) Overnight on March 18-19, the IDF arrested 20 senior
Hamas members in the West Bank. Some of note are:
- Dr. Nasser Eddin Al-Sha'er, former Deputy Prime Minister
under Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh, was released from Israeli
prison July 2007. In January 2009, he signed a multi-faction
petition appealing for a national reconciliation dialogue and
a national unity government (REF A).
- Ayman Daragmeh is a PLC member who signed the January 2009
unity appeal (REF A).
- Adnan Asfour is a PLC member who was released from
detention November 2008.
- Mazen Al-Rimawi is the Office director of the PLC bloc in
Ramallah.
- Nizar Ramadan was released from a three-year prison term in
December 2008.
- Azam Salhab was released from a Hebron prison in January
¶2009.
¶3. (SBU) On March 19, President Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu
Rudenineh, released a statement condemning the arrests. He
characterized the arrests as an attempt to sabotage the
reconciliation talks. Hamas also issued a statement saying
the arrests were in response to the failure of talks to swap
hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for the release of Israeli
soldier Gilad Shalit.
¶4. (SBU) Separately, the IDF re-arrested 12 lower-profile
West Bank Hamas members during the week of March 9. On March
19, Hamas released a statement accusing the PA of
coordinating its release of 52 Hamas detainees just prior to
the Cairo talks (REF B),with the Israeli re-arrest of 12
those same detainees.
WALLES