Is Israel trying to keep Hamas from running in Palestinian elections?

The Israeli army has recently arrested dozens of Hamas cadres and leaders in the West Bank in the lead up to the Palestinian elections, which may affect Hamas’ leaders ability to mobilize the masses, launch electoral campaigns and persuade candidates to join their lists for fear of Israeli arrests.
Hamas flags stand on the roof of the house of Palestinian assailant Salah Barghouti after it was partially demolished by Israeli forces in the village of Kobar near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on April 17, 2019. - Israeli forces destroyed the home of the Palestinian who was killed during his attempted arrest on suspicion of carrying out a December shooting. Seven people were wounded in the December 9 attack near the Israeli settlement of Ofra in the occupied West Bank, one of them a pregnan
Hamas flags stand on the roof of the house of Palestinian assailant Salah Barghouti after it was partially demolished by Israeli forces in the village of Kobar, near Ramallah, West Bank, April 17, 2019. - Abbas Momani/AFP via Getty Images
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Adnan Abu Amer
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The West Bank has been witnessing over the past few weeks intensive arrest campaigns by the Israeli army against dozens of Hamas cadres and leaders, members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), political leaders, as well as students and union activists. 

Most recently, Khaled al-Hajj and Adnan Asfour, both Hamas leaders in the West Bank, and Hamas member in the PLC Yasser Mansour were arrested Feb. 16.

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