RAMALLAH November 9 (JMCC) -
Israel's security service, the Shin Bet, recently met with several ranking
Hamas members in the
Jenin area, raising the ire of the
Palestinian Authority.
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, the Shin Bet showed up on the doorsteps of Wasfi Qabaha, a former Hamas minister, lawner Fadil Busnak, leading figure Azan Zreydi and
Islamic Jihad member Adnan Hader.
According to the Palestinian sources, the Shin Bet officers visited the four in their homes late at night, were permitted to enter and then explained that they did not intend to arrest the four, but to talk over a cup of coffee.
The Palestinian sources claimed that the questions the Shin Bet officers asked their Hamas and Islamic Jihad interlocutors were not security related, but appeared to be an attempt at having an exchange with the Islamist groups.
The activists were asked about their views on the chances that peace talks would succeed, and the possibility of a peace agreement with Israel, according to the sources.
The Palestinian sources said that the PA complained about the matter to GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi, because the meeting embarrassed senior Fatah officials in Ramallah, who could not understand the meaning or purpose of the meeting.
Read the story at Haaretz...