Hamas says political detention threatens meeting of Palestinian factions

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement said on Sunday that the retention of political detention by the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank threatens the meeting of Palestinian factions scheduled to take place in Cairo at the end of this month.

“Hamas believes that the PA is seeking to improve its image at the time that it continues to pursue, kidnap and detain Palestinian fighters, activists and students,” said senior official Hussein Abu Kwaik. “The PA must halt political detention and release all political prisoners immediately.”

Abu Kwaik explained that Hamas hopes that the Cairo meeting will “revive the Palestine Liberation Organisation and reset its liberation goals instead of involvement in security coordination with the [Israeli] occupation.” He insisted that the PLO must include all Palestinian factions, and expressed his concerns that the Cairo meeting will be the same as the “photo opportunities” held previously.

“The PA has to recognise that it has no choice other than to seek national unity in order to tackle the challenges imposed by the Israeli occupation and its crimes against the Palestinians.”

According to the families of Palestinian prisoners held by the PA, the authority continues to violate the rights of the Palestinian people, including political detainees.

Last week, eight Palestinian factions signed a joint statement calling on the PA to stop its security coordination with the Zionist occupation.

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