Dozens Injured In Clash Between Hamas And Fatah In Nablus

Jerusalem – Dozens of students from a-Najah University in Nablus were injured on Tuesday in clashes between Hamas and Fatah supporters at the university.

The campus turned into a battlefield between hundreds of supporters from both organizations, who brawled and threw chairs. University guards intervened in the brawl. Eyewitnesses said that there were sounds of shooting. Hamas supporters shot one student, who was injured in the foot.

The university administration canceled classes yesterday and asked the students to leave the university compound for fear of further clashes. The administration blamed the Islamic faction of Hamas for the clashes, because it broke the university laws that forbid political activity on campus since the recent events in Gaza. The Islamic faction distributed leaflets relating to the arrest of a number of students by the IDF. Fatah’s youth faction tried to prevent the distribution, the tension between the sides increased until it broke out into a violent brawl. The Islamic faction announced that 30 of its members had been injured, one of them seriously. Over 20 supporters were arrested.

Indictment Against Israeli Woman For Joining Hezbollah

Was an Arab Israeli citizen in the process of enlisting into Hezbollah?

In an indictment for treason submitted under seal on Tuesday to the Haifa District Court, it is claimed that she met with a Hezbollah agent in the course of her studies in Jordan. The woman, in her thirties, admitted that it was suggested that she enlist into Hezbollah.

The indictment states that in 2002 and 2003, while she was studying at university in Amman, the accused met a fellow woman student who belonged to Hezbollah. The agent told the defendant that her job was to recruit other agents. She suggested to the defendant to join, and she, at this stage, said “no.” Two months later, the defendant returned to Israel, but the agent approached her again with a request that she hold onto a USB flash drive and told her someone would pick it up in Israel. The indictment states that even though the defendant knew at the time that she was dealing with a Hezbollah agent, she agreed.

During the summer of 2004, the agent invited the accused to a meeting in Jordan, during which she repeated her suggestion that she enlist. The indictment states that the accused asked about the recruitment and training procedure, and the agent told her about the training and also explained ways to maintain secrecy and to collect intelligence information. The agent and the accused continued to stay in touch. On June 30, Israel’s General Security Services arrested the accused, who was taken for questioning and admitted that it was suggested to her that she join Hezbollah in Jordan. She is charged with contact with a foreign agent and aiding an illegal organization.

U.S. Orders Arrest

Of Those Who

Aid Hezbollah

The U.S. has frozen the assets of entities alleged to have been financing the Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah as well as Palestinian insurgency groups. The Treasury Department identified several of the entities, including an organization based in Dearborn, Mich.

“We will not allow organizations that support terrorism to raise money in the United States,” Treasury Undersecretary Stuart Levey said on Tuesday.

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the Martyrs Foundation and Goodwill Charitable Organization (GCO) in Dearborn. The group was said to have raised money for an Iranian-based foundation that supported Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Officials said the foundation, which has a branch in Lebanon, was involved in the Hezbollah war against Israel last year.

“Hezbollah recruited GCO leaders and had maintained close contact with GCO representatives in the United States,” Levey said.

The Lebanese firm, al-Qard al-Hassan, which was also sanctioned, was used to manage Hezbollah finances.

The sanctions freeze the bank accounts and financial assets in the United States. Americans would also be banned from working with the sanctioned entities and individuals.

Two Lebanese nationals were also covered by the Treasury order. Qasem Aliq was identified as a Hezbollah official and former director of the Martyrs Foundation’s branch in Lebanon. Officials said Aliq has been the director of a Hezbollah-operated Lebanese construction firm Jihad al-Bina.

Another Lebanese national, Ahmad al-Shami, was cited as working with the U.S.-based GCO. Officials said GCO sent al-Shami money to relay to the Martyrs Foundation.

“Hezbollah’s leaders in Lebanon have instructed Hezbollah members in the United States to send their contributions to GCO and to contact the GCO for the purpose of contributing to the Martyrs Foundation,” a U.S. Treasury official said. “Since its founding, GCO has sent a significant amount of money to the Martyrs Foundation in Lebanon.”

David Bedein can be reached at Media@actcom.co.il. His Web site is www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com

©The Bulletin 2007