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Palestinian security forces are only cracking down against “outlaws”, and not “legitimate resistance fighters”, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, a spokesman for the territory's Fatah party has said.
Abdul Fattah Al Dawleh spoke to The National as the Palestinian Authority, which has limited control over parts of the West Bank, carries out an operation against militants in its biggest show of force in years.
The Palestinian Authority is dominated by Fatah. For the 19th consecutive day, its security forces continued their siege on Jenin, and confrontations with fighters resulted in deaths on both sides.
Mr Al Dawleh said fighters with external ties were being apprehended with the intention to “arrest and not kill” them. “They are less than 20 people hiding under the umbrella of legitimate resistance,” he said.
On Monday Hamas, the rival Palestinian group that controls the smaller territory of Gaza, called for a popular uprising in Jenin, criticising the Palestinian Authority for acting against “honourable fighters”.
But Mr Al Dawleh rejected the accusations. “The security forces are not chasing down real resistance fighters – only people who are linked to Iran,” he told The National. Tehran has long been accused of backing Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad – both of which also operate from Jenin camp.
The targets in question, the Fatah spokesman said, all have outstanding warrants for their arrest for cases involving “murder, theft, planting explosions and targeting civilian and military institutions”.
Public opinion is split between what some see as the PA government's betrayal of the Palestinian resistance and what others describe as moves necessary for national unity, amid warnings against actions that could give Israel a pretext for invading.
“There are people with agendas who are framing what is happening as a targeting of civilians and resistance fighters,” Mr Al Dawleh said, adding that this is an attempt at “misleading” the public into believing that the matter is more sinister than it really is.
The latest violence comes as delicate talks continue in Cairo, aimed at creating a national unity government between Hamas and Fatah.
Speaking from Jenin city, Fatah commander Ali Zakarna told The National that the unrest in Jenin was not going to affect attempts for reconciliation.
“I've spoken to people in Jenin camp and they told me that the situation is almost entirely under control,” he said.
Mr Zakarna said that members of public were slowly realising that they needed to co-operate with Palestinian security forces in rejecting those who are known to be colluding with external forces. He was referring to people with suspected links to Iran.
“There are talks on the political and military level and we will be merciful with those who seem to be ignorant and don't know the reality of what they're truly partaking in,” he said.
