Would-be PA presidential candidate’s car torched

No one claims responsibility for the torching of the car, which was completely destroyed.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Site of Hebron shooting 370 (photo credit: TOVAH LAZAORFF)
Site of Hebron shooting 370
(photo credit: TOVAH LAZAORFF)
Arsonists on Friday torched a car in Hebron belonging to Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi, who recently formed a new political party and announced his intention to run in the next Palestinian Authority presidential election.
No one claimed responsibility for the torching of the car, which was completely destroyed.
Tamimi, the former chief judge of Islamic religious courts in the West Bank, surprised Palestinians earlier this month when he announced the establishment of a party called Party of Freedom and Independence.
Tamimi, who was previously affiliated with Hamas, is considered a radical Palestinian figure.
“I don’t rule out running for the president of the State of Palestine,” Tamimi told reporters at the launching of his party.”
He said that his party believes in the need to liberate all Palestine, from the river to the sea. He also stressed the importance of the right of return for Palestinian refugees to their former homes inside Israel.
Tamimi later complained that representatives of various Palestinian factions who were invited to the inauguration of his party did not show up because they had been threatened by PA security forces.
A source close to Tamimi said that the PA leadership was unhappy with his decision to form a new party and run for president.
The source said that no group has claimed responsibility for the torching of Tamimi’s car.
However, the source added, “Whoever committed this crime wanted to stop the sheikh from running in the election.”
Tamimi said over the weekend that the torching of his car was an attempt on his life. He pointed out that the vehicle was parked near some gas balloons connected to his kitchen and that the perpetrators were hoping the fire would lead to an explosion in the house.