Border policemen dressed as Palestinian Arabs infiltrated a Jenin refugee camp Thursday morning and arrested Khaled el-Haj, a senior Hamas commander in the northern West Bank, along with one of his lieutenants. El-Haj was released from an Israeli prison only two moths prior to Thursday's arrest operation, military sources said.
Palestinian witnesses said the daytime arrest raid was executed quickly, and no shots were fired during the course of the operation. According to the witnesses, the border policeman arrived in a civilian vehicle to a building in refugee camp just after noon. The troops surrounded the home and swiftly arrested el-Haj and a second man, before placing the militants in their vehicle and driving away. Additional jeeps arrived to secure the extrication from the refugee camp, and the forces left the area before locals became aware that a raid had taken place. A handgun was found in the building where the two men were located, the army. Both men were handed over to the Shin Bet (Israeli Security Services) for questioning. |