Fears of upcoming Palestinian parliamentary elections triggering security chaos in the West Bank have intensified after unidentified gunmen opened fire at the house and office of Hatem Shaheen, who is a lawyer running as a candidate on al-Mustaqbal list.
The attack took place at around 2:30 am, Shaheen said in a statement on Monday.
Shaheen is running on a list that is affiliated with prominent Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, an archrival of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Shaheen is No. 13 on the al-Mustaqbal list and is considered a major supporter of Dahlan in the southern West Bank.
Al-Mustaqbal is one of three Fatah lists contesting the election for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).
Even though no one was wounded in the attack, many are viewing it as a sign of mounting tensions among political factions ahead of the polls, slated for May 22.
“We were sleeping when we heard heavy shooting outside the house,” Shaheen said. “I went out to the balcony to see what was happening, but the attackers had escaped. Later, when we watched the security cameras, we saw at least two suspects in a white car.”
Shaheen said he and other candidates on Dahlan’s al-Mustaqbal list have been the targets of a smear campaign on social-media platforms.
“The incitement against us was the reason behind the shooting attack,” he said.
Ashraf Dahlan, the commissioner of al-Mustaqbal, issued a statement condemning the attack.
He also called on concerned authorities to expedite the opening of a criminal investigation into the shooting.
More so, he warned that the assault hints that some sides are attempting to derail the democratic process by force, especially in northern districts.
He called on executive authorities to protect the electoral process and give all Palestinians the opportunity to exercise their right to choose their representatives without pressure or intimidation.
