30 July 2000

In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful  

Press statement on the arrest of
Dr. Abdul Aziz Ranteesi by PA security men

Commenting on the Palestinian security apparatuses’ detention of Dr. Abdul Aziz Ranteesi, one of Hamas leaders and spokesmen in Gaza Strip, a responsible source in the Hamas Movement said:

Palestinian Authority’s security men stormed house of Dr. Abdul Aziz Ranteesi at 4 am today and arrested him. The detention followed Dr. Ranteesi’s statement to Jazeera space channel in one of its programs that affirmed the Hamas Movement’s stands in sticking to our lands and Palestinian national rights. He questioned the real PA positions regarding the issues of the refugees, borders and settlements and called on the PA to divulge the whole truth to the people. Such a statement embarrassed one of the PA officials who is well known for his corruption and strong relations with the Zionist enemy and who was sharing in the same program.

Dr. Ranteesi’s arrest is an attempt by the PA to silence the opposition and prevent our people’s vivid forces from declaring their stands and opinions vis-à-vis what took place in the Camp David summit or to reveal the Authority’s concessions on the questions of the return of the refugees, settlements, borders and others.

The PA should have rather gone to the Palestinian people to re-arrange the Palestinian house and consolidate the internal ranks in face of Zionist and American arrogance instead of detaining the symbols of loyalty among our people, confiscating freedoms and quelling opposition.

We strongly condemn the arrest of Dr. Ranteesi and demand his immediate release along with other political detainees in PA prisons. We also affirm that repression and detention are the methods of the feeble and will not cover up the truth and what truly happened in the Camp David negotiations.

The Islamic Resistance Movement
(Hamas – Palestine)
Sunday 30 July 2000