MOSCOW, November 5 (RIA Novosti) — The Palestinian Authority's security forces have arrested over 250 militants of Hamas and other Islamist movements in a move to curb violence and unrest in the West Bank, Times of Israel reported Wednesday.
Unnamed Palestinian officials told the newspaper they "recognize that Hamas is directly responsible for the upsurge in violence in Jerusalem, and has also been seeking to foment violence in the West Bank, in an effort to destabilize the area."
The first 150 militants were arrested in September and over 100 of them — in October. Many of them remain in holding facilities with some of the militants already released.
Simultaneously with the arrests, conducted by the Palestinian Authority, a number of arrests in Hebron, 18.6 miles south of Jerusalem, were made in close cooperation between Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian Authority's security forces.
These arrests come at a time of escalated tensions between the two sides, as clashes continue despite the latest ceasefire.
Last week, there was an escalation in firefights between Israeli police and Palestinians in East Jerusalem after Israel approved the construction of new settlements in the area. Following the clashes, Israel closed two border crossings, which were reopened Tuesday.
