RAMALLAH, West Bank — The state of emergency Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared March 5 to counter the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, raised fears about it being a cover for political arrests. His decree was followed the next day by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh shutting down the government for a month.
Despite reassurances from the government that the actions aren't politically motivated, the public's fears were compounded by the Palestinian Preventive Security (PPS) arresting a former member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) representing Fatah, Hussam Khader, just hours after the state of emergency was declared. The PPS stormed his house in the Balata refugee camp near Nablus in the West Bank. He was then released March 9 after he went on a hunger strike the first day of his arrest, refusing to eat, drink or take his medicine.