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Palestinian Police Arrest 30 in West Bank

Posted on: Friday, 7 October 2005, 21:00 CDT

YATTA, West Bank: Palestinian police went door-to-door early Friday in this West Bank town, arresting 30 suspected criminals in one of the biggest moves towards restoring law and order in the chaos-ridden Palestinian territories.

But in a sign of on-going lawlessness, an unknown group said it had kidnapped three leaders of the Islamic group Hamas in three West Bank towns. In a leaflet, the al-Farouk bin al-Khatab Brigades accused Hamas of putting itself above the law.

Palestinian security forces have been severely weakened by nearly five years of fighting with Israel, corruption and internal rivalries, leaving them virtually powerless to stop militants and armed gangs in the Palestinian areas.

But since Israel's withdrawal last month from the Gaza Strip, where lawlessness is most severe, Palestinians have increasingly demanded the restoration of order.

Threatened by the instability, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has ordered his forces to rein in criminals and enforce a ban on public displays of weapons, leading to fierce gun battles with Hamas militants. In the toughest fighting, three Palestinians, including a policeman, were killed in one battle this week.

More than 200 policemen participated in Friday's arrest raid in Yatta, searching for drug and arms dealers and other wanted criminals, said Ahmed Rabai, the Hebron-area police chief. Village residents said they could not recall such a heavy crackdown.

Police raided the village before dawn, surrounded homes and called on suspects to surrender. Homes were searched and illegal weapons were confiscated.

"This campaign was ordered by political leaders to enforce law and order and to bring justice to normal Palestinians and make the Palestinian people feel safe," Rabai said. "This campaign will continue not only in Yatta town, but also in other villages and in the city of Hebron itself."

Israel and the United States have demanded that Abbas rein in militants. Abbas has been reluctant to take such a step, fearing civil war, and has tried to co-operate the groups.

In the latest unrest, three local Hamas leaders in the West Bank were taken from their homes at gunpoint late Thursday, although one of them, Riad Abdel Karim al-Raz, was freed early Friday. The other two men, Bassem Abeido of Hebron and Hassan Safi of Bethlehem, remained in custody.

Source: China Daily; North American ed.

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