Israeli security forces detained Palestinian parliamentary
speaker Aziz Dweik, a leader of the governing Hamas movement, in a
raid on his West Bank home Sunday.
Dweik told Al Arabiya television by telephone from an Israeli
jail that he was taken from his home, handcuffed, blindfolded and
was being kept with other Palestinian prisoners.
He said he would reject any Israeli deal to free him instead of
Arab prisoners in exchange for an Israeli soldier captured by
gunmen from Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza last month.
"Neither I nor my brotherly MPs want or would accept to be
alternatives to our brotherly prisoners in the jails. If I live the
rest of my life in prison, I won't accept to be an alternative or a
card in any compromise," Dweik said.
Israeli forces detained eight members of the Palestinian cabinet
and 23 deputies in June after gunmen from Hamas and two other
militant groups infiltrated into Israel from Gaza and kidnapped the
Israeli soldier. Three of the ministers have since been
released.
The soldier's abductors are demanding that Israel free 1,000
Arab prisoners held in its jail and end an offensive on Gaza.
An Israeli army spokesman earlier confirmed Dweik was taken into
custody. "He is the head of Hamas's legislature and since Hamas is
a terrorist organization, he is a target for arrest."
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh condemned Dweik's
detention and what he described as "Israeli piracy".
"We urge all Arab and international parliamentarians to condemn
and denounce this crime and to secure the release of Aziz Dweik and
all jailed ministers and lawmakers," Haniyeh said.
Hamas, which swept a January parliamentary election, is
dedicated to Israel's destruction. International donors have cut
funds to the Palestinian government, calling on Hamas to renounce
violence, recognize Israel and accept past interim peace deals.
(China Daily August 7, 2006)
