The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas said that the detention of Hamas leader Adnan Asfour and Palestinian MP Yasser Mansour by Israeli occupation forces confirms that the Israeli authorities are targeting the Palestinian elections.

The movement added in a statement, a copy of which obtained by Safa, that "This move will not undermine Hamas’ determination to proceed with rearrangement of the Palestinian national house on the basis of partnership and resistance against the Israeli occupation."

"Hamas officials and members will continue to defend Palestinian rights; the great sacrifices made by the Asfour and Mansour, who had been incarcerated in Israeli prisons for years, reiterates that the struggle against the Israeli occupation and its conspiracies is a priority for Hamas," it underlined.   

"The MP’s detention reflects the criminal nature of the Israeli occupation which has dominated the Palestinian political system and undermined the Palestinian parliament for more than 14 years through the repeated detentions of MPs and forced disappearances,"  it stressed.

"We renew our calls for the free people of the world and international bodies to protect the Palestinian political system from the Israeli occupation."