Israel arrested Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nasser al-Shaer at his home in the West Bank town of Ramallah early Saturday, Palestinian security sources said.

An Israeli army spokesman has confirmed the arrest of al-Shaer, a member of the governing Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Israel has intensified military incursions in the Palestinian territories since late June after the killing of two Israeli soldiers and the kidnapping of a third, Corporal Gilad Shalit, by Palestinian militants.

Israel has since also arrested dozens of Hamas lawmakers and cabinet ministers, including Aziz Dweik, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator, condemned the arrest, saying the move complicated a recent bid by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from the Fatah movement to forge a unity government with Hamas.

Violence has continued in the West Bank and Gaza as Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants on Friday.

Source: Xinhua