PA: Car used in Kiryat Arba attack seized

Palestinian Authority forces say the vehicle was found in Hebron and several suspects linked to the car are being investigated.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
shooting car 311 AP (photo credit: AP)
shooting car 311 AP
(photo credit: AP)
A Palestinian Authority security source claimed on Thursday that the PA security forces have seized the car that was used in the shooting attack that killed four Israelis from Bet Hagai on Tuesday night.
The source said that the car was found in Hebron and that the PA security forces were now investigating several suspects linked to the vehicle.
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The source would neither confirm nor deny a report according to which the car had been handed over to the IDF.
The source also refused to comment on reports that the PA security forces have managed to arrest two men suspected of involvement in the terror attack.
The PA security forces have arrested more than 300 Palestinians from different parts of the West Bank since the attack. The crackdown has been described as the largest security operation by the PA since its inception.
Hamas, however, announced that the number of those arrested by the PA in the past 48 hours has reached 550. It said another 1,500 Palestinians suspected of being affiliated with Hamas have been summoned for interrogation by the various branches of the PA's security services.
Hamas said that the detainees included prominent political figures, physicians, engineers, university students, former security prisoners who were released from Israeli jails and relatives and friends of Hamas legislators living in the West Bank.
Eyewitnesses told The Jerusalem Post that the Fatah-dominated security forces also rounded up dozens of worshippers as they emerged from mosques following evening prayers in many cities and villages.
Meanwhile, Hamas strongly condemned the launching of direct talks between Israel and the PA in Washington and said the goal was to "liquidate" the Palestinian cause.
The movement accused PA President Mahmoud Abbas of providing a cover for Israel to pursue its policy of settlement construction in the West Bank, eliminating the refugees' "right of return" and Judaizing Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque."
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and leaders of most of the Palestinian groups reiterated on Thursday that Abbas did not have a mandate to negotiate with Israel. They said that the Palestinians would not recognize any agreement he reaches with Israel.