September 1, 2011
Israel arrests top West Bank Hamas leader
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Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a senior Hamas leader in the West Bank and a Palestinian Parliament member, is greeted by relatives on the day of his release from an Israeli prison after completing a six year sentence, at his house in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Aug. 4. Photo by REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman
Israel arrested a top Hamas leader in the West Bank that it had released from jail several weeks ago.
The Israeli military arrested Sheikh Hassan Yusef late Wednesday night in the West Bank as he crossed a checkpoint between the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Nablus, AFP reported.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Palestinian reports of Yusef’s arrest, but did not give any details as to why he was detained.
Yusef, a founder of Hamas, was released in early August as a good-will gesture for Ramadan from an Israeli prison where he was serving a six-year sentence for membership in a terrorist organization.
He is the father of Mosab Hassan Yusef, author of the book “Son of Hamas,” who served as an informant for Israel’s Shin Bet security service. Yusef disowned his son.
