Israel arrests Hamas official ahead of Palestinian elections

Israel's security forces arrested overnight a Hamas official in the West Bank, the Shin Bet security agency said on Wednesday.

Hussein Abu-Kweik, a high-ranking Hamas official based in the West Bank, was arrested in an overnight raid between Tuesday and Wednesday, carried out by the Shin Bet and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) near Ramallah, according to the Shin Bet's statement.

Abu-Kweik was arrested for his alleged "involvement in security related activities" and "presenting a threat to the security in the area," the Shin Bet said, adding he had served as Hamas' campaigner ahead of the Palestinian elections in October, and accusing him of "incitement."

He was arrested along with two other suspects in the el-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah.

The Islamist Hamas group condemned the arrest, accusing Israel of meddling in Palestinian internal political affairs ahead of the upcoming elections.

Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories in the 1967 Middle East War, and it withdrew its soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005.

Following the evacuation and amid a falling out with the rival Fatah party, Hamas took over the strip in 2007. Israel and Hamas are staunch enemies that have fought several rounds of wars in the past decade.

The overnight arrests came amid a wave of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, which started in October and has since claimed the lives of 34 Israelis and 220 Palestinians.

On Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a Palestinian teenager, Mohammed Abu Hashash, was killed in clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians at the al-Fawar refugee camp near Hebron, and dozens more were injured.

The clashes followed an operation by the Israeli security forces in the camp, searching for wanted Palestinians who allegedly planned attacks against Israel, according to Israel Radio. The IDF spokesperson would not confirm or deny the report.

Israeli leaders accuse the Palestinian National Authority of inciting violence, whereas the Palestinians say it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation and the dim prospects of establishing an independent Palestinian state.

Source : XINHUA