Hamas legislator Bitawi says he was attacked in West Bank by PA police

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Hamas legislator said Sunday that he was attacked in the West Bank by an officer in the Palestinian security services who cursed him and fired toward his legs. Hamed Bitawi, a Hamas hard-liner and leading preacher in Nablus, suffered a superficial injury to his leg. Bitawi said he and one of his sons had just come out of a Nablus mosque Sunday when they were accosted. Bitawi said the officer cursed them, a scuffle ensued and the officer fired toward his legs. The Hamas lawmaker said that the assailant wore civilian clothing, but that he recognized him as a member of the security services. It was unclear whether the confrontation was part of a personal feud or linked to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank.