PA arrests militants after Gaza attack
Three Democratic Front members questioned; first such arrests in two years
TEL AVIV - For the first time in two years Palestinian security forces made arrests following a shooting attack on an Israeli target.
On Saturday morning, Palestinian security officials in the southern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Khan Younis arrested DFLP central committee members Issam Abu Daqqa, Talal abu Zarifa and Ziyad Jarjhoun, according to the DFLP.
After a few hours of questioning, two of them were released and the third is expected to be freed later Saturday evening.
The arrests were carried out by forces under the command of Rashid Abu Shabak – who has close ties with Palestinian security figure Mohammed Dahlan.
During the past week, Dahlan held meetings with senior Israeli security officials, including Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, to discuss a pullout by the Israel Defense Forces from some West Bank cities and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The gunman who carried out the attack in Gaza was killed by return fire from the IDF troops. He managed to wound two soldiers and a Palestinian passerby.
The “National Resistance Brigades,” the DFLP’s military arm, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Militant group slams arrests
The DFLP said the arrests proved Palestinian officials were caving in to Israeli pressure.
“We strongly condemn the Palestinian Authority's arrest of our fellow freedom fighters. We also condemn the demands by the Palestinian security forces for other members of the party to voluntarily hand themselves in for questioning,” said Saleh Zeidan, a DFLP official.
Israel is closely following steps taken by Palestinian security forces on the ground. Wide operations by the Palestinians against wanted militants is supposed to freeze Israel’s pursuit of them and the policy of targeted killings.
But Israeli officials are wary about the possible return of a “revolving door” policy under which the Palestinians arrest militants on a list submitted by Israel but then release them a short time later.
- AP contributed to this report
