RAMALLAH, West Bank — West Bank security services are continuing a crackdown on Hamas members, having arrested more than 200 recently in what Hamas says is a politically motivated campaign.

In just one week at the beginning of 2020, Hamas said in a Jan. 13 statement, 195 Hamas members were arrested in the West Bank on political grounds. Those arrested include university students, political activists and ex-prisoners freed from Israeli prisons; most were arrested in Nablus and Hebron. 

The statement explained that since Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas called Sept. 26 for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held this year, “Hamas activists and cadres have been targeted in the arrest campaign to give information of the movement’s electoral activity and candidates.” It noted, “The PA security services raided 144 houses and seized nearly 3,000 Israeli shekels [$867], 55 cellphones, 10 computers and dozens of banners and books.”

In Hamas’ eyes, those arrests — on top of those conducted in mid-December — correlate with PA attempts to obstruct the as-yet-unscheduled elections. Speaking to Al-Monitor, former Palestinian Minister of Detainees Wasfi Qabha said, “These pursuits are undoubtedly linked to the elections. There is a current within the PA that does not want the elections to be held, and this current is represented by the … muffling of voices. They are attempting to impose a police state on Palestinians and are behind the politically motivated harassment and pursuit of Hamas members.”