‘Israel arrests Hamas election official to influence results’

Palestinian factions have denounced the arrest of the Hamas representative on the Central Elections Committee as an attempt to “affect the election results,” Al-Resalah newspaper reported on Wednesday.

As part of a night-time arrest campaign, the Israeli occupation forces detained Shaikh Hussein Abu-Kwaik, the Islamic movement’s election representative in the West Bank, along with 19 other Palestinians. All were picked up by Israeli troops from their homes.

“This has been done simply to affect the results of the elections,” said a Hamas statement. The movement called on international bodies to put pressure on Israel for Abu-Kwaik’s release and to guarantee a transparent electoral process.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) also condemned the arrests. The group reiterated the Hamas claim that Israel wants to affect the election results by this move.

In a statement, the PFLP accused the Israeli occupation of “working to undermine the elections” in order to maintain the “disastrous” status quo in the Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, Hamas called for the Palestinian Authority to halt the arrest campaign which targets its activists for their activities connected to the elections.