IDF troops arrest 87 senior Hamas political and military officials
Haaretz ^ | 6/29/2006 | Avi Issacharoff
 

Israel has expanded its military operation against the Hamas-led government in the Palestinian Authority by embarking on mass arrests of senior Hamas officials before dawn Thursday.

Israel Defense Forces troops launched early Thursday a major arrest operation against Hamas officials, detaining 64 of the ruling militant group's ministers and parliamentarians in the West Bank and 23 military operatives.

The arrests took place in Ramallah, Qalqilyah, Hebron, Jenin and East Jerusalem, according to Palestinian reports. Soldiers carried arrest warrants signed by judges that were issued following cooperative preparatory work by the state prosecution and police.

A Hamas official called the arrests an "open war against the Palestinian government and people," and said that Israel must be prepared to pay their consequences.

Included among those arrested were Finance Minister Omar Abdel Razek, Minister Samir Abu Aysha, Jerusalem Affairs Ministers Khaled Abu Arfeh and Naef Rajoub, brother of senior Palestinian minister Jibril Rajoub.

In Ramallah, troops arrested at least two cabinet ministers and four lawmakers, all from Hamas, in a raid on a complex of buildings, Palestinian security officials said.

Earlier reports that deputy prime minister Nasser a-Shaer was arrested were later proven incorrect.

Labor Minister Mohammed Barghouti was stopped on his way to his village, Kabur, just north of Ramallah. Military jeeps stopped his car, ordered him out of the vehicle and took him away, the officials said.

In East Jerusalem, lawmakers Mohammed Abu Tir, Wael al-Husseini and Ahmed a-Tun were arrested.

Also, the Hamas mayor of the West Bank town of Qalqilyah and his deputy were detained, security officials said.

An IDF spokeswoman said troops had carried out an operation in Ramallah but declined to give details, saying the military operation was still underway.
 

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