By Xinhua
Ramallah : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Tuesday said the security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrested nine members of the movement in the West Bank.
Hamas said in a statement that the detentions took place in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Salfeet and Qalqilia, slamming the detentions as part of a crackdown against Hamas members in the West Bank controlled by its rival Fatah movement.
Hamas and Fatah led by President Abbas have been trading accusations especially since the later was routed and ousted the Gaza Strip by Hamas in June of 2007.
Also in the West Bank, Israeli troops arrested five Palestinians, including a senior activist wanted by Israel, Palestinian security sources said.
They added that a teenage boy was also arrested in Hebron and three Islamic Jihad members were taken away from Tulkarem.
In the wake of a deadly suicide bombing attack in southern Israeli town of Dimona on Monday, Israeli police stepped up the security measures in Israel.
Border police detained 136 Palestinians who entered Israeli territory without official permissions while the police questioned eight Israeli citizens for providing shelter to the Palestinian workers, the radio reported.