Israeli security officials have claimed that members of the Palestinian presidential guards unit, Force 17, of guarding a Hamas explosives laboratory in Nablus, reported Haaretz newspaper.
The paper claimed that Hamas activists in Nablus have been responsible for many suicide bombings, bombs and car bombs in Israel in recent months.
Most were put together at the lab in Nablus, and the rest were prepared in one or two other labs used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Jenin, it charged.
Five suicide bombers killed by detonating themselves in Israel were sent from Nablus, most of them theology students from the local Al Najah University, claimed the paper, adding that at least five Hamas activists from Nablus and the region were killed in retaliation by Israeli forces.
Several operatives of the Fateh and the Islamic Jihad, some of whom were in touch with Hamas activists, were also killed by the Israeli army and the Shin Bet security service or in "work accidents" when putting together explosive devices, Haaretz said.
On Wednesday, the Israeli army assassinated Saleh Darwazeh, a senior Hamas activist from Nablus. Hamas said he was a politician and not part of the military wing but the Shin Bet and the Israeli army “assert that he was heavily involved in preparing the suicide bombings,” a source told the paper.
One security source even said it was Darwazeh who ran the operation of the laboratory.
Since the beginning of the October Intifada, many activists of different Palestinian organizations have worked together, Haaretz claimed.
“Apparently, unofficial cross-organization ties are usually formed in prison cells, not only between the inmates but also between them and their captors.”
In September 2000 more than 50 Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists were being held at the Juneid prison in Nablus. The PA released most of them when the conflict with Israel started in October.
The released prisoners renewed their “terrorist” activities in squads of between seven and ten people. Some made use of previous acquaintances and hired the services of Force 17 guards - their former jailers - to secure Hamas armories as well as the explosives lab, the sources said.
According to the paper, after the bombing at the nightclub in Tel Aviv on July 1st, prominent political Hamas activists such as Hamed Bitawi and Jamal Mansur were seen in Nablus surrounded by armed guards to protect them against possible Israeli attacks.
Israel has recently found that Hamas had made deals with arms dealers in Nablus and Hebron to supply them with weapons, Haaretz alleged – Albawaba.com
