Top Hamas official seized by Israel
{{Date|August 19, 2006}}
[[Image:We-map.png|thumb|The [[w:West Bank|West Bank]] territory]]
On Saturday, in a pre-dawn raid, [[w:Israel Defense Forces|Israeli soldiers]] seized [[w:Nasser al-Shaer|Nasser al-Shaer]] at his home in [[w:Ramallah|Ramallah]] in the occupied [[w:West Bank|West Bank]]. Al-Shaer is the [[w:Palestine|Palestinian]] Deputy Prime Minister and a top official of the [[w:Hamas|Hamas]] militant group.

The Israeli military confirmed the detention of al-Shaer. [[w:Israel|Israel]] has been cracking down on the Hamas movement, which does not recognise Israel, for the last seven weeks. Al-Shaer is the highest ranking Hamas member to be detained. 30 members of [[w:Palestinian National Authority|Palestinian National Authority]] parliament have also been detained during the crack-down.

Nasser al-Shaer, a former university professor, is known as a pragmatist in Hamas. Palestinian officials accused Israel of undermining their efforts to form a broad government coalition.

The West Bank was captured by Israel from [[w:Jordan|Jordan]] in the [[w:1967 Six-Day War|1967 Six-Day War]] and is considered by the [[w:United Nations|United Nations]] and most countries to be under Israeli occupation. Some Israelis and various other groups prefer to refer to it as "disputed" rather than "occupied" territory.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-08-19T044925Z_01_L19856630_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-ARREST.xml
|title=Israel seizes top Hamas official
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=August 19, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://uk.news.yahoo.com/19082006/325/israel-seizes-deputy-palestinian-pm.html
|title=Israel seizes deputy Palestinian PM
|author=[[w:Reuters|Reuters]]
|pub=Yahoo!
|date=August 19, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5265792.stm
|title=Israelis detain Hamas deputy PM
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=August 19, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4128267.html
|title=Palestinian deputy PM arrested in raid
|author=[[w:Associated Press|AP]]
|pub=Houston Chronicle
|date=August 19, 2006}}

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{{Archive-unreviewed}}
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Palestine]]
[[Category:Hamas]]
[[Category:Palestinian National Authority]]
[[Category:Ramallah]]
[[Category:West Bank]]
West Bank territory
On Saturday, in a pre-dawn raid, Israeli soldiers seized Nasser al-Shaer at his home in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Al-Shaer is the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister and a top official of the Hamas militant group.

The Israeli military confirmed the detention of al-Shaer. Israel has been cracking down on the Hamas movement, which does not recognise Israel, for the last seven weeks. Al-Shaer is the highest ranking Hamas member to be detained. 30 members of Palestinian National Authority parliament have also been detained during the crack-down.

Nasser al-Shaer, a former university professor, is known as a pragmatist in Hamas. Palestinian officials accused Israel of undermining their efforts to form a broad government coalition.

The West Bank was captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered by the United Nations and most countries to be under Israeli occupation. Some Israelis and various other groups prefer to refer to it as "disputed" rather than "occupied" territory.
Politics and conflicts Middle East Israel Palestine Hamas Palestinian National Authority Ramallah West Bank