A high ranking West Bank based Hamas official, Hussein abu-Kwik was arrested in a pre-dawn Shin Bet and IDF raid on his home in Ramallah Wednesday.
Hamas spokesman Sami abu-Zuhri condemned the arrest in an official Hamas press release.
- The press release alleges that the arrest was done in connection to municipal elections set to be held in the Palestinian territories in October ,and accuses of Israel of trying to influence the results of the elections by arresting Hamas officials.
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Protesters demonstrate against the arrest of high ranking Hamas official Hussein abu-Kwik
The terror group is expected to gain power in the upcoming municipal elections. Hamas student movements already control most of the major universities in the West Bank.
Abu-Zuhri's statement went on to call on the Palestinian Authority to cease its cooperation with Israeli security forces. It says that this cooperation will only strengthen the peoples' love of Hamas, and that neither the Israelis nor the PA will be able to break the terror organization.
Finally, the press release calls on the international community to "intervene to bring about the release of Sheikh Hussein Abu Kwik, and stop arrests amongst the movement's members as this is a violation of the election process."
First published: 10:32, 08.17.16