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Israel seized Palestinian Deputy PM Naser al-Shaer, a top official of the Hamas militant group, at his home in the occupied West Bank on Saturday.
Updated : Nov 19, 2013, 11:17 PM IST
RAMALLAH, (West Bank):
An Israeli Army spokesman confirmed troops had taken al-Shaer into custody, saying it was due to his membership in a terrorist organisation.
Huda al-Shaer, the official's wife, said he was picked up at their home in the
She said that several jeeps circled the house before dawn then troops came to the door.
An officer told her after checking their identity documents, "sorry madame, but your husband has to come with us. He let him first say goodbye to our four children," al-Shaer said.
Two lawmakers from Hamas, a militant group that seeks
Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator, condemned the arrest and said this complicates a recent bid by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to forge a Palestinian unity government, to ease a Western aid embargo against the Hamas government.
The boycott is designed to push the militant group to recognise