Palestinian arrested over alleged contact with Hamas chief

Israeli police have arrested an East Jerusalem resident on charge of alleged contact with Hamas’ political chief Khaled Mashaal, Israel’s Channel 2 reported yesterday.

According to the police spokesperson Luba Al-Samri, a man in his 30s was detained on Wednesday on suspicion of contact with Hamas officials abroad. She added that the defendant had appeared in court yesterday for his detention to be extended.

Israeli police have not provided information about the suspect’s identity; however, Channel 2 revealed that the defendant is Tayseer Abu Sabih, the brother of Mesbah Abu Sabih who killed two Israelis in an October attack in the capital.

Channel 2 noted in a report yesterday that the brother received a call last night from Qatar-based Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal who congratulated him on the attack. The call came shortly after the family’s home was demolished by Israel.

The report added that Palestinian leaders usually get in contact with families of the civilians who are killed by Israeli forces.

Al-Ram town resident Misbah Abu Sbeih, 39, a father of five children, was shot dead on 9 October by Israeli forces near Israel’s police headquarters in Jerusalem after killing an Israeli woman, and a Special Patrol officer at the “Yassam” unit and a former member of the Knesset, in charge of quelling unrest mainly in the Palestinian half of the city. Six others were injured in the attack.

Israel is regularly criticised by rights groups for its practice of demolishing Palestinian homes as a punitive measure.