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Abbas says 'no evidence' of Hamas involvement in kidnaping Israelis

June 22, 2014 at 11:41 am

In his first response to Israeli accusations, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday evening that there was no evidence that Hamas was behind the kidnapping of Israeli settlers in Hebron.

At a meeting with Arab journalists in Ramallah, Abbas said: “Concerning the kidnapping, so far no one knows who the kidnappers are.”

He added: “Israel is desperately trying to say that Hamas is the kidnapper, but where is the evidence? There is no evidence.”

Asked whether he thought that Israeli intelligence was behind the operation to use it as a pretext to undermine the Palestinian Authority, Abbas said: “All doors and scenarios are open. They might be behind it, and there might be others here or there.”

He added that if the kidnappers become known, the government “will take a stance.” Abbas had previously warned that those responsible for the abduction of settlers will be held accountable.