Israeli news channels reported Tuesday on the Palestinian Authority (PA) arresting three Hamas activists suspected of planning to carry out an attack against Israel.
The three are Palestinian nationals originally locals from the northern West Bank city of Nablus and planned to carry out an attack against Israeli territories in parallel to Bahrain hosting the US-sponsored economic workshop.
Media reports highlighted the PA’s outright rejection of reactionary violence, despite it personally boycotting the workshop.
The three detainees, according to media reports, received instruction from a Hamas official who was also the architect of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange agreement.
The Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange followed a 2011 agreement between Israel and Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 prisoners – mainly Palestinians and Arab-Israelis, although there was also a Ukrainian, a Jordanian and a Syrian.
Media reports pointed out to Hamas trying to carry out destabilizing security operations against Israeli targets in the West Bank and inside Israeli territory.
On the other hand, they underscored the PA blocking such violence.
Israel, for its part, recognized that the PA foiled a Hamas-planned attack in the West Bank.
The PA reiterated its opposition to any bombing of Israelis and that it is actively working to thwart such hostility. It is worth noting that Hamas’ armed wing is outlawed in PA-run territories.
The PA says Hamas wants to establish calm in the Gaza Strip, whilst it seeks to flare up violence in the West Bank instead.
