This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/5317674.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Abbas guard commander 'arrested' | Abbas guard commander 'arrested' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Israeli troops have detained the top commander of the Palestinian presidential guard, Force 17, Palestinian security sources say. | |
| 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. |
| General Damra has been wanted by Israel for six years for his role as a leader of a terror cell responsible for carrying out fatal attacks in Israel, the Haaretz newspaper said. | General Damra has been wanted by Israel for six years for his role as a leader of a terror cell responsible for carrying out fatal attacks in Israel, the Haaretz newspaper said. |
| He was suspected of choosing the locations of the attacks, training militants and supplying them with weapons, it said. | He was suspected of choosing the locations of the attacks, training militants and supplying them with weapons, it said. |
| What is Force 17? | |
| The top commander is said to have gone into hiding after he escaped an Israeli assassination attempt in May 2001. | The top commander is said to have gone into hiding after he escaped an Israeli assassination attempt in May 2001. |
| He was apparently appointed in May. | He was apparently appointed in May. |
| Meanwhile, at least one person was killed and several passers-by wounded when a car exploded in the Rafah refugee camp in the south of Gaza late on Tuesday. | |
| Residents said the blast caused a huge fire and one witness reported seeing two small explosions follow the main blast. | |
| Proposed talks | Proposed talks |
| Reports of General Damra's 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |