Israeli forces arrested a top Hamas military commander in the West Bank.
Saleh Aruri, founder of the armed wing of Hamas in the northern West Bank, was taken into custody without incident Saturday. Military officials said Aruri went free from an Israeli jail in March after serving a 15-year sentence for involvement in terrorist attacks, only to resume such activities.
The arrest, which came as the security forces of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also rounded up Hamas members in the West Bank, drew charges from the Islamist group that its rival faction Fatah was “collaborating” with Israel.
Fatah, having been ousted from Gaza, has been moving pre-emptively against Hamas in the West Bank.
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