PA security escalates targeting of Hamas supporters

Palestinian Authority security apparatuses arrested five Hamas supporters, summoned another, and extended the detention of five others in the occupied West Bank during the past 48 hours.

In Ramallah, the General Intelligence Service (GIS) arrested a student at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Jerusalem and took him to its headquarters, less than 24 hours after the arrest of the representative of the Islamic bloc and a number of other students.

The Islamic bloc at the University of Jerusalem condemned the detention of the student and called on the university administration, the committee on public freedoms and the human rights organizations to immediately intervene for the immediate release of the young man.

The GIS arrested after Friday prayers a student at Birzeit University during his participation in the rally organized by Hamas in front of Bireh Mosque.

It has also arrested 3 days ago a student in the Faculty of Engineering at Birzeit University and a former political prisoner.

Meanwhile, the courts of the PA security extended the detention of two youths Mohammed Assi and liberated prisoner Islam Mousa from Beit Liqya village for 45 days.

PA’s intelligence service arrested the two young men about 60 days ago. They have been exposed during the last period to severe torture, and their detention has been renewed several times.

The GIS refused to release the detainee Mohammed Abu Keshk from Qarawat Bani Zeid who had been abducted more than 3 weeks ago, despite the court’s decision to release him on bail.

In Tulkarem, the Preventive Security Service (PSS) arrested a student at Birzeit University after storming his house.

It also arrested in Salfit a liberated captive and former political detainee from the town of Iskaka after summoning him. Another ex-prisoner from al-Khalil was summoned to the PSS headquarters.

Palestinian courts extended the detention of Taha Shallaldah in al-Khalil for 7 days pending investigation, and the detention of Haitham Aqrah in Nablus for 15 days.

The detention of captive Omar Zaghloul from Nablus has also been extended for 15 days after he appeared before the Court of First Instance.

The GIS also refused to release Samir Abu Shuaib, despite the court’s decision to release him.