Israel busts West Bank Hamas "terror cell"

Israel's Shin Bet security service announced Wednesday it exposed a "Hamas terror cell" in the West Bank which was planning to carry out attacks against Israelis.

A statement by the Shin Bet said that Israeli security forces arrested about 40 activists over the past days, including senior Hamas members who were jailed previously in Israeli prisons.

Several suspects admitted during their interrogation of joining the cell in order to perpetrate militant attacks against Israelis, according to the Shin Bet.

The cell's leaders were "laying broad foundation for militant activity," according to the Shin Bet.

Interrogations of the suspects revealed that Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, has resolved to renew its activity in the West Bank by forming central headquarters in Nablus.

They appointed regional chiefs who were in charge of advancing activities in fields of education, finance, law, communications, intelligence research, charity and stipends to prisoners in Israeli jails and their families, the Shin Bet said.

"To conceal their acts, headquarters members have taken many precautions, including using aliases, couriers and post office boxes," the Shin Bet said.

The arrests come amid a wave of Palestinian attacks in the West Bank. Over the past two weeks, Palestinians carried out six attacks against Israeli soldiers and settlers, including a fatal drive-by shooting attack near the settlement of Shvut Rachel, which killed a 27-year-old Israeli settler.

Violent incidents between Israelis and Palestinians have been on the rise since the U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed in April. Endit