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Abbas guard commander 'arrested' | Abbas guard commander 'arrested' |
(9 minutes later) | |
Israeli troops have detained a top commander of the Palestinian presidential guard, known as Force 17, Palestinian security sources said. | |
General Mahmoud Damra was arrested at an Israeli army roadblock outside the city of Nablus, Force 17 members said. | General Mahmoud Damra was arrested at an Israeli army roadblock outside the city of Nablus, Force 17 members said. |
The Israeli military has declined to comment on the report. | The Israeli military has declined to comment on the report. |
Force 17 was established by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and is accused by Israel of involvement in militant attacks. | Force 17 was established by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and is accused by Israel of involvement in militant attacks. |
The alleged arrest came after Israel's announcement that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wanted to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas once militants released a captured Israeli soldier. | |
Vice-Prime Minister Shimon Peres, who announced the proposed meeting, said Israel wanted to resume talks with Mr Abbas on the basis of the peace plan known as the roadmap. | |
Mr Abbas has said an agreement has been reached on swapping the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, for Palestinian prisoners. | |
The capture of the Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid in June sparked a major Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip during which more than 200 Palestinians died. |