Hamas official: Fatah holding 750 Hamas prisoners in West Bank

Jun 20, 2009, 10:40 GMT

Gaza - A senior Islamic Hamas movement official estimated on Saturday that up to 750 Hamas prisoners were now being held in West Bank jails, controlled by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces.

Ismail al-Ashqar, Hamas representative in the joint security committee with Abbas' rival Fatah party said in a written statement that Fatah negotiators had 'informed us they can't stop political arrests in the West Bank.'

'We also proposed the freeing of Fatah members imprisoned in Gaza, although they are held for criminal reasons, for the release of all Hamas political prisoners in the West Bank, but Fatah rejected the proposal,' said al-Ashqar.

Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, while Fatah has control of the West Bank.

Egypt, which has been hosting Palestinian reconciliation talks, plans to invite leaders from the two factions for a final round of talks on June 28.

'If Egypt intends to oblige the Palestinian factions to sign on an inter-reconciliation agreement on July 7, it will be a mere ink on paper, and implementing it on the ground will be mission impossible,' said el-Ashqar.

On Friday, Abbas security forces released 20 Hamas members from its jails in the West Bank. Fatah leaders, who said their party is not involved in these arrests, vowed to exert more pressure on the authority to release more soon.

'There are 750 prisoners in West Bank prisons, while Abbas security forces keep arresting dozens of our activists everyday. I think releasing 20 only is to mislead the media and the public opinion,' al-Ashqar said.