GAZA CITY
A senior member of the Palestinian Legislative Council on Sunday accused Israeli authorities of attempting to impede the council's work following the detention of several lawmakers in the West Bank.
"The arbitrary detention of lawmakers aims to undermine the council's work," deputy speaker Ahmed Bahr told Anadolu Agency.
Israeli security authorities early on Sunday raided scores of West Bank homes, detaining around a hundred Palestinians, including lawmakers and former members of parliament, according to NGO Palestinian Prisoners' Club.
The raids came following Thursday's disappearance of three teenage Jewish settlers in a southern West Bank settlement.
"The crackdown comes as an Israeli response to the national reconciliation deal hammered out by the Palestinians," Bahr said.
Ayman Daraghmeh, a Hamas lawmaker, blasted the Israeli arrest campaign, saying it aims at collectively punishing the Palestinians following the presumed kidnap of the settlers.
"The Israeli detention of Palestinians is unjustified," Daraghmeh told AA.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday accused Hamas of "kidnapping" the three teens.
By Hedaya al-Saidi
www.aa.com.tr/en
