Unity! Hamas continues to arrest journalists and Fatah members

Palestine Press Agency reports that Hamas has arrested dozens of Fatah members in Gaza in the past day, endangering reconciliation efforts.

Moreover, Hamas continues to hold 6 journalists and is insisting that they go on trial.

Their crime? "Sabotaging the reconciliation!"

So people who report that Hamas is arresting Fatah members might be arrested for saying such a terrible thing.

Reporters Without Borders has nothing to say about this. But the International federation of Journalists did come out with a statement today:

According to the PJS, Hamas security operatives began arresting journalists, especially PJS members, on Sunday when they raided their homes rounding up six of them in two days. They include Abdul Karim Hajji, Hussein Abdel-Gawad Karsou' and Bassam Darwich who were arrested on Sunday followed by their colleagues Ashraf Abu Khasewan of Deir al-Balah and Mustafa Mekdad held since Monday evening.

Security forces also arrested family members of Jumua' Abu Shoumer, correspondent of al Hurrya radio in Gaza, to force him to turn himself in, added the PJS.

The Syndicate accused the Hamas authorities of working with pro-Hamas journalists to undermine its work on building unity among journalists in Gaza and strengthening their standing among their colleagues in the region, including within the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ). The PJS, which took part in the recent FAJ Congress, believes that Hamas' recent actions belie an attempt to frustrate on-going efforts to achieve national unity which are expected to be concluded soon in the signing of a reconciliation pact and the forming of a national unity government.

Meanwhile, Hamas media reports that the PA is arresting Hamas members in hte West Bank as well.