Hamas denies plot to infiltrate Palestinian Authority security
A recent Israeli newspaper report claims Hamas penetrated Palestinian security services in the West Bank.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — West Bank security services reportedly uncovered a Hamas plan to infiltrate the services over the past year by bribing or threatening dozens of officers to gain their cooperation — something Hamas denies.
"Several high-ranking sources in the Palestinian Authority" (PA) recently revealed that military intelligence had uncovered the spy network several months ago, Yedioth Ahronoth reported April 23. It said a number of officers were arrested and charged with spying for Hamas. The newspaper said Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip and abroad hatched the plan.
However, spokesman for the Palestinian security services Adnan al-Dumeiri has a different version of the story. He told the official Palestinian news agency Wafa on April 23 that two members of the security services were arrested about two years ago on charges of leaking information to Hamas. He denied the Israeli report about the arrest of dozens of officers.
Dumeiri said he questions the motivations of those who reported such information.
