HAMAS NAMES 2014 KIDNAPPING MASTERMIND AS NEW DEPUTY POLITICAL CHIEF: Hamas has named as its new deputy political chief Saleh el-Arouri, a man best known for attacks against Israeli targets, including the 2014 abduction and murders of Israeli teenagers Gil-Ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Frankel. El-Arouri is held responsible by Israel for a long list of terrorist attacks in Judea & Samaria. The move is seen as toughening the Islamist movement’s posture in advance of reconciliation talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement. A leading Gaza analyst, Naji Shurrab, noted that Arouri’s being tapped to become deputy to politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh comes at the height of Hamas reconciliation contacts with Fatah. In his opinion the move is meant to strengthen Hamas’ position in unity negotiations and to signal that the movement will not accept Abbas’ political program, including recognition of Israel and acceptance of agreements signed with it. “Abbas wants Hamas to support his political program, including recognition of Israel, respect for agreements, peaceful resistance and being against violence. But the message here is we can’t make more concessions on the political program.” Hamas and Fatah negotiators are due to meet under Egyptian auspices in Cairo this month in a bid to advance efforts to end a decade-long division stemming from Hamas’s seizure of the Gaza Strip from Fatah forces. (J.Post)