Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said it had covered a wide-ranging plot by Hamas to topple the Abbas government in the West Bank through a series of terror acts against Israeli and Palestinian targets.
Over 70 militants were charged in West Bank military courts in the last few days over what potentially was the most expansive Hamas operation there in many years.
Hamas dismissed the publication as an Israeli attempt to deflect attention from the ongoing talks in Cairo. "Benjamin Netanyahu's tricks have become transparent, it looks like he's out of ideas," Hamas said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the revelation could have "dangerous consequences," "especially since Israel published the names of the suspects and their confessions, and confiscated their arms."
The operation was reportedly masterminded by Saleh al-Arouri from his hiding in Turkey and was launched in May. It was apparently not elated to the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli youth in the West Bank in June.
As part of the Israeli investigation in the West Bank, according to Shin Bet officials, dozens of weapons and hidden storage facilities were found. Guns valued at around half a million dollars are believed to have been smuggled in from Jordan.
The plan reportedly included a number of brutal terrorist attacks inside Israel, launched from the West Bank, that would trigger harsh responses by Israel. That, in turn, would lead – Hamas allegedly hoped – to the eruption of a widespread uprising by West Bank Palestinians.
Israeli officials said 93 militants were held in the course of the current investigation, including a man who allegedly was sent to Malaysia by Hamas to be trained to fly a paraglider.
Shin Bet believes it broke up this plot before attacks on Israeli or Fatah targets could be carried out.
