A Palestinian Authority organization has condemned the Fatah-led PA government's harassment of a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The official had voiced criticism of PA Fatah Chairman Mahmoud Abbas earlier in the month.
PA security forces stormed the home of Fathi al-Qar'awi in the city of Tulkarm in Samaria on Sunday (November 21), allegedly climbing the outside fence and entering the yard. The force members reportedly ignored al-Qar'awi when he informed them that as a PLC member he has parliamentary immunity. Instead, they allegedly broke into his home.
According to a statement by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), which strongly condemned the action, the force's members confiscated the Hamas official's mobile phones, his PC, a laptop, and various documents.
“They searched the house and damaged its contents,” the statement said, adding that the 90-minute incident ended with the arrest of al-Qar'awi's 24-year-old son Hazem, who was taken away “to an unknown destination.”
Al-Qar'awi's older son, Hamza, is already being held by the PA's General Intelligence Service (GIS) in the Jneid prison in Shechem (Nablus), the group noted.
Less than 24 hours later, three members of PA intelligence again allegedly broke into the house, according to the PCHR, searched the library and confiscated one book.
The organization called on the PA attorney general in Ramallah to “seriously investigate the attack, prosecute the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The group also called on the “governments in Ramallah and Gaza to immediately stop such acts, and comply with the Palestinian law and international human rights standards.”
Fatah-led PA Government Retribution?
Three weeks earlier, Al-Qar'awi had criticized Abbas in a statement to the Quds Press. The Hamas lawmaker accused Abbas of raising the issue of unity with Hamas only when there is a diplomatic crisis with the U.S. or other “countries in control of the Palestinian decision.”
Al-Qar'awi had added pointedly, “Whenever there are signs of a near solution to this crisis, Fatah faction is very skilled at eluding, making excuses and accusing Hamas as the party that thwarts the reconciliation.”
The Hamas lawmaker insisted that Abbas has no right to cede “a grain” of PA soil or decide the fate of its people.
