Palestinian President Yasser Arafat demanded Sunday that Israel release Balal Ozrel, a Fateh leader from Salfit in the northern West Bank who was arrested Sunday, a senior Palestinian security officer was quoted by Haaretz newspaper as saying.
Palestinians said that Ozrel was ambushed by soldiers who waited for him at a checkpoint.
According to the source, Arafat was furious at the arrest, which was made while negotiators were returning from Washington with new American bridging ideas for a final peace settlement.
But the source said there were contacts between the security forces from both sides to discuss Ozrel's release.
"The arrest of Ozrel will cause Arafat problems with Fateh, once he wants to sign a peace accord with Israel," the source told the daily.
"Arresting a Fateh leader increases opposition against any negotiations with Israel," he said.
"Should Fateh decide not to back an agreement with Israel, it will be difficult for Yasser Arafat to sell it to the people," he added.
On Saturday night, Israeli security forces arrested in an ambush 14 members of the Islamic Hamas Resistance movement in an ambush in the West Bank city of Nablus -- Albawaba.com
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