Israel arrests Palestinian lawmaker over Hamas ‘activities’

OCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel has arrested a Palestinian lawmaker over Hamas "activities", an NGO and officials said on Wednesday, bringing to 13 the number of Palestinian deputies detained by Israel.

Ahmed Atoun, a Palestinian lawmaker from occupied Jerusalem since 1996 affiliated with Hamas, was arrested at dawn, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club NGO.

Banned from Jerusalem by Israel, he has recently lived in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

His arrest brings to 13 the number of Palestinian parliament members detained by Israel.

The parliament, or Palestinian Legislative Council, includes 132 members, though it has not sat since 2007, when Hamas and the Palestinian Authority clashed in a near-civil war over control of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas won polls in 2006, eventually sparking the conflict that led to the Islamist group's control of the strip.

Beyond Atoun, 14 other Palestinians were also arrested, the NGO said, including Fayez Abu Warda, a Hamas spokesman in the West Bank.

Questioned about Atoun and Warda, Israeli authorities confirmed two people were arrested over "Hamas activities" in the Ramallah area and Hebron, but did not provide further details.

Israel and Palestinian fighters in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008 and Israeli authorities fear Hamas operatives will seek to mount attacks in the West Bank.

More than 6,500 Palestinians are currently detained by Israel, including 500 under the process known as administrative detention, which allows them to be held without charge or trial.

Prominent jailed Palestinian Marwan Barghouthi, who polls show would win Palestinian elections, is calling for a widespread prisoners' hunger strike.

The call is being made in connection with Palestinian prisoners day, which will be marked on April 17.

Barghouthi is jailed over his role in the violent second Palestinian Intifada.