Hamas has dismissed the mayor of the West Bank town of Na'leen, Mohammed Soror, and his assistant, Thaer Omaira, after the two were said to meet with Israeli settlers, the Hamas affiliated website Palestine Info reported Monday.

"Proving it was firm on its political stand of not normalizing with the Hebrew state, Hamas Movement has dismissed mayor of the Na'leen town, west of Ramallah city, for meeting with Israeli settlers without permission from the Movement," (sic) the statement on the Hamas website said.

"Hamas explained that the visit made by the mayor and four members of the municipal council (three of them weren't from Hamas) was decided arbitrarily and without consulting the Movement," the report said, adding: "Hamas' policy bans its members from meeting with Israeli officials."

"We are holding members in our movement accountable over any wrong step they may take; yet, others are awarding their leaders who kiss hands of the Zionists and coordinate with them," said the Hamas statement, in an apparent reference to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah...