Hamas arrests Gaza activists after Zoom call with Israelis

The meeting was advertised on a Facebook event page and a recording was posted online by Israeli participants, prompting an outpouring of Palestinian incitement against the Gaza activists on social media
Associated Press|
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Hamas-run security forces have arrested several peace activists in the Gaza Strip on treason charges after they took part in a web conference with Israeli activists, officials said Thursday.

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  • The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said the activists are accused of “holding a normalization activity with the Israeli occupation.”
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    Hamas police patrol Gaza streets
    Hamas police patrol Gaza streets
    Hamas police patrol Gaza streets
    (Photo: EPA)
    “Holding any activity or contact with the Israeli occupation under any cover is a crime punishable by law and a betrayal for the people and their sacrifices,” it said in a statement.
    Hamas, which seized Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007, does not recognize Israel and has carried out scores of attacks against Israelis over the last few decades. Israel, the U.S., and the EU view Hamas as a terrorist organization.
    Hamas has nevertheless been holding indirect talks with Israel through Egyptian, Qatari and U.N. mediators for months. The negotiations are aimed at easing an Israeli and Egyptian blockade imposed on Gaza after Hamas took power in exchange for calm along the frontier.
    The activists held a nearly two-hour meeting on Monday over Zoom, an online conferencing service, discussing issues of common interest, including the coronavirus pandemic.
    2 View gallery
    Gaza city center with Hamas monument
    Gaza city center with Hamas monument
    Gaza city center with Hamas monument
    (Photo: Reuters)
    The meeting was advertised on a Facebook event page and a recording was posted online by Israeli participants, prompting an outpouring of Palestinian incitement against the Gaza activists on social media.
    The family of Rami Aman, the main organizer, said he answered a summons from the security service early Thursday and that they have not heard from him since.
    Hamas praised the arrests.“The relationship with the Zionist occupation is only a continuing fight until it is forced out of all Palestinian lands,” spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
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    4.
    the attempted meshall operation
    i was reading one take on the conduct of netanyahu during the meshall hit. When the operation was exposed on the streets of Amman, and israeli operatives were detained, bibi panicked and said to give hussein whatever he wants in exchange for the release of Israelis. when hussein demanded more, it was sharon as foreign miinister who told hussein bluntly-release the Israelis or we'll cut off your water supply. recall bibi released yassin to gaza who caused Israel lots of death. I have no idea if this is true. but what i have observed over the years is when bibi deals with non security matters like economy, industry and tourism, he does pretty well.even with corona after a slow start, he is doing some good things. when it comes to security, as soon as blood flows,he freaks out, he simply cannot take it and sues for limited operations or early ceasefires. did ehud barak not notice this early on. fast forward- the reason bibi detests bennett in my judgement is that he knows Bennett is 10 x the soldier bibi ever was. jealousy drives him nuts. bibi is a wily politician, no doubt. however, it is my opinion that if bibi was pm in 48, israel would never have been born. and if bibi was pm in 73, he would never have crossed over into egypt to counterattack and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. bibi is simply not a warrior.
    joe| 04.11.20
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    3.
    mr security in tuches
    bibi has never fooled me with his Mr security image. true he talks tough at times but when you see how he negotiates with gantz, with hamas, with erodgan on apology and compensation and formerly arafat on hebron shows how panicky and bloody weak he was and is. and he is too old to change. He and gantz are totally incapable of taking on hezbollah and even hamas. bibi runs scared, while gantz has no fight in him, he acts like a beaten down retiree focusing on abstract concepts like those of gen golan and yaalon. Israel has to have sharon types-bottom line decision makers who can preempt and destroy. why on earth would bibi run with gantz to rivlin to ask for a 14 day extension. let gantz go himself. bibi is riding well in the polls, he could win a majority with his allies in the next election. he runs scared that is why.he is afraid gantz as speaker will pass a law preventing bibi from running as pm again.there are ways around that. it is time for you Israelis to reward Bennett, an able fighter for Israel who can defeat nasrollah. otherwise, shrunken borders, concessions and then you will become a pathetic province of palestine. that is the ultimate choice you face. wake up you Israelis. Bennett can take on hezzbollah and hamas. bibi cannot nor can gantz. it appears that you Israelis somehow prefer to be dzimmis, to being pushed around, to being beggars of the eu and usa .stand tall and proud and don't take crap. do not tell us that you need approval from Jordan and egypt, a statement that will live in infamy.
    rob| 04.10.20
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    2.
    age of tech pushes out power-mongers
    mo| 04.10.20
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