The Israeli army arrested Hasan Asfour, the first Palestinian minister to be detained in the 16-day crackdown on the West Bank.
Asfour, a minister without portfolio, oversaw the work of non-governmental aid organizations on the West Bank, Palestinian information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told AFP on Saturday.
However, the Israeli army quickly denied the Palestinian report.
An Israeli military source told AFP the army "has no intention" of arresting Asfour, but that troops had entered the minister's Ramallah residence "by mistake."
"We will soon leave his residence," the military source said. "We have no intention of arresting him." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
