Islamic Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip slammed on Wednesday the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) decision to freeze the work of the Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite news TV channel in the West Bank.

Ismail Radwan, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza told Xinhua on phone that Hamas movement denounces the closure of al-Jazeera office by the Authority of Ramallah in the West Bank, adding that the move "shows the full security coordination with the Zionist occupation."

"Closing al-Jazeera office is a clear restrict of the freedom of speech and media. It's an attempt to hide the reality, mainly the real situation in the West Bank, and also an attempt to hide the facts, mainly the crimes that the authorities in Ramallah are practicing against our people," said Radwan.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Ramallah-based Palestinian Information Ministry in Salam Fayyad's government said in a statement sent to reporters that the offices of the Qatar-based news channel in the Palestinian territories "are temporarily closed until a court ruling."

"The al-Jazeera work is suspended since it dedicates a wide space from its coverage for incitement against the Palestinian National Authority and the chairman of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) President Mahmoud Abbas," the statement added.

The move is likely to be motivated by a news show the channel aired on Tuesday which it hosted Farouq al-Qadoumi, an old guard Fatah leader who accused President Abbas and other Fatah leaders of aiding Israel killing late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Sami Abu Suhri, another Hamas spokesman said in a press release that the behavior of Ramallah-PNA "in such a criminal way, is another true indication that al-Qadoumi's accusations that Abbas and some of his aides are directly involved in killing Yasser Arafat, are true."

Arafat, the founder of the Palestinian revolution died on Nov. 11, 2004 in a Paris hospital of a mysterious disease. Some Palestinians believed that Arafat did not die naturally and there was suspension that Israel killed him by a mysterious poison.

Meanwhile, al-Jazeera reported the news about the closure of its bureau in the West Bank, saying it finds the decision strange. The controversial broadcaster promised to issue a statement in response to the decision, which is unlikely to affect the work of the channel's offices in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

During the 22-day Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which ended on Jan. 18, the Qatari satellite channel showed a large support for Hamas movement through several interviews held with Arab opposition leaders and political analysts, who slammed Abbas authority in the West Bank.

Hamas movement supported al-Qadoumi statements against Abbas and his aides, mainly its enemy Mohamed Dahlan, saying "Al-Qadoumi's statement is a real scream comes from his heart on Fatah movement to get back to adopt the strategy of armed resistance instead of being led by Israel and America."

Al-Qadoumi also said in his allegations that Abbas and Dahlan were involved in the killing of top Hamas leader in Gaza Abdel Aziz Rantisi in May 2004, and also trying to kill top Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza Abdullah al-Shami, who survived a possible Israeli assassination.

"Al-Qadoumi's words show that there is a team within Fatah that is trying to hide facts and turn the page of the circumstance of Yasser Arafat's death. This team is also trying to create a new Fatah movement completely linked to the conditions of Israel and America," said Hamas in a press statement.

Meanwhile, Fatah central committee member Abbas Zaki said that Fatah movement highest committee would hold an urgent meeting soon "to discuss the dangerous statements made by al-Qadoumi on al-Jazeera," adding "measures must be taken against him away from the mass media."

"I will tell everyone, mainly those who rejoice at the misfortune of the issue, that there will be no internal split in Fatah due to al-Qadoumi's allegations. I was hoping that he hasn't involved late President Arafat in such internal disputes," said Zaki.

Dahlan, a Fatah lawmaker and member of Fatah revolutionary council also said that "the statements of al-Qadoumi don't deserve any response. It seems that he is getting too old."

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2009)