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Last update - 13:36 09/07/2008 Fayyad: IDF West Bank raids sabotage Palestinian security efforts By The Associated Press Tags: Hamas, West Bank, IDF, Nablus Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad warned on Wednesday that Israeli military operations in the West Bank were hampering his administration's effort to improve security in the territory. Earlier in the day, Israel Defense Forces troops raided the city hall of the West Bank town of Nablus, confiscating five computers as part of an ongoing crackdown on Hamas' civilian and social infrastructure in the West Bank. This week, troops have raided and shut down various Nablus facilities with links to the militant organization that rules the Gaza Strip. "The operations undermine grossly our efforts aimed at rebuilding our capacity and reestablishing law and order," Fayyad told a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. Advertisement A strong Palestinian security presence in the West Bank is an integral part of peace talks between Israel and Fayyad's West Bank government, which resumed last year. Israel is reluctant to rely on a recently beefed-up Palestinian police force to head off attacks on Israel or prevent Hamas from seizing control of the West Bank, as it did the Gaza Strip last year. Nablus' deputy mayor Hafez Shaheen said Wednesday that in addition to the raid on city hall, IDF troops raided six mosques and seized five buses belonging to schools affiliated with the Islamic organization that rules Gaza. Nablus' mayor, Adli Yaish, is a Hamas politician who has been imprisoned by Israel. On Monday, the IDF shut down a multiple storey shopping center in Nablus whose board of directors is chaired by Yaish. Businesses planned a general strike Wednesday to protest the crackdown. The IDF had no immediate comment. But this week, troops have raided and shut down various Nablus facilities it says are linked to Hamas. On Tuesday, the IDF also shut down five other Hamas institutions in the northern West Bank city, including a support group for militants jailed in Israel, an Islamic trade union organization, a medical society and two aid organizations in the Nablus refugee camps of Askar and Balata. On Monday, security sources said that Defense Minister Ehud Barak had recently outlawed 36 international non-governmental bodies, charging them with fundraising for Hamas. Related articles: IDF shuts down Nablus mall in campaign against Hamas Barak outlaws 36 NGOs for Hamas fundraising Bookmark to del.icio.us   History undersea Israeli lifeguard stumbles upon ancient relic during morning swim. Elections, Hebrew style U.S. presidential hopefuls use Hebrew to woo the Jewish community.   1.   The shameful gang busters in the IDF 09:51  |  Dutch 09/07/08   2.   Get those school buses. Destroy Pal education. Go IDF! 10:12  |  Michael 09/07/08   3.   Shame on the free world 10:14  |  Stu 09/07/08   4.   Boundary test 10:39  |  Natallie Durson 09/07/08   5.   don`t the Israelis have a clue??? 11:07  |  Sarah 09/07/08   6.   All within 30 minutes 12:05  |  Cyclops 09/07/08   7.   Groupie 12:08  |  In Love 09/07/08   8.   IDF On a Roll 12:12  |  Marcos 09/07/08   9.   Attacking civil society: what is the logic? 12:18  |  Outsider 09/07/08   10.   To Cyclops #30:didn`t you know it? 12:57  |  Hastaroth 09/07/08   11.   The IDF Heroes - oh yeah! 13:08  |  Donald Ducktail 09/07/08   12.   Should`ve done it long ago! eom 13:18  |  mad 09/07/08   13.   the misconception of why fatah are the inferior beings 13:52  |  victor hardman 09/07/08   14.   this might have made sense 13:54  |  RM 09/07/08   15.   No kidding, hey Fayyad? 14:40  |  Johnboy 09/07/08   16.   #6, #10 That`s the best you can do, chaps??? 14:53  |  Johnboy 09/07/08   17.   #2 Michael UK - You missed have missed 15:30  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   18.   #6, Cyclops, #10, Hastaroth - 24/7 logged in 15:46  |  Fritz 09/07/08   19.   #2 Michaels info comes from 15:57  |  TOMY 09/07/08   20.   #16 Johnboy - Is that the best YOU can do? 16:16  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   21.   17 Oh dear, Ben Jabber, supporting the vandalism? 16:25  |  Michael 09/07/08   22.   TOMY 19. Wrong yet again. My info`s from Haaretz. 16:27  |  Michael 09/07/08   23.   The Pa encourages the IDF to raid Hamas 16:27  |  S Freedman 09/07/08   24.   #21 michael wants to change the habits of a century 16:39  |  victor hardman 09/07/08   25.   #21 Irrational Michael - You seem lost 16:46  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   26.   #17-2 Irrational Michael 16:49  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   27.   25 BEN JABBERing on, wrong as ever. 17:21  |  Michael 09/07/08   28.   Hamas and Me 17:33  |  Edithann 09/07/08   29.   #1 Dutch for once you spoke the truth 17:34  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   30.   Same goes for you Hastaroth 17:50  |  Said 09/07/08   31.   #27 Irrational Michael - Try getting your facts straight 17:54  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   32.   A need to remember 17:56  |  Janice 09/07/08   33.   Israelis living under occupation 18:01  |  Janice 09/07/08   34.   #27 michael do study facts and figures 18:19  |  victor hardman 09/07/08   35.   Irrational Michael 18:54  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08   36.   You`re nuts Ben 31 LOL 19:20  |  Michael 09/07/08   37.   You`re nuts Ben 31 LOL 19:22  |  Michael 09/07/08   38.   You`re nuts Ben 31 LOL 19:31  |  Michael 09/07/08   39.   The IDF better get with it ... 21:33  |  Dutch 09/07/08   40.   #23 Shalom Freedman more twisted accusations of the PA 22:07  |  Dutch 09/07/08   41.   #36 Michael - Out of touch with reality 23:04  |  * BEN JABO 10/07/08   42.   #39 Dementia aka/ Dutch 23:06  |  * BEN JABO 10/07/08   43.   #38 Michael - I don`t condemn a religion 02:25  |  * BEN JABO 11/07/08   44.   #43 Michael - I couldn`t wait 03:07  |  * BEN JABO 11/07/08   45.   Ben Jabo, please do some reading. 22:35  |  Helen 11/07/08   46.   #45 2ND TRY HELEN 17:17  |  * BEN JABO 13/07/08   47.   #45-2 Helen - Did you do the reading I gave you? 03:48  |  * BEN JABO 15/07/08

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