Israel released on Friday evening five Palestinian intelligence officers that were arrested early the same morning, Palestinian sources told Ynet late Friday night.
Original Report
Israel arrsets 5 PA intelligence officers / Ali Waked
Five officers in Palestinian General Intelligence Service detained near West Bank village of Salfit. Palestinians say efforts being made to secure their release. Estimates are that arrests likely connected to PA investigation of collaborator
Among those arrested was Salfit region intelligence commander, Mohammad Abdel Hamid.
A Palestinian security source in Salfit said the arrests were apparently made due to Israeli suspicions that the General Intelligence Service was carrying out an investigation against a man suspected of collaborating with Israel.
The Palestinian Authority source said he assumed this was the reason because all five were part of the service's internal investigations department.
The source said Israel had demanded that the PA officers refrain from harming the suspect, a resident of Dir Istia village, and that they release him from custody.
The IDF stated in response that it would not comment on the Palestinian reports.
The PA stated it suspects that the arrests are another attempt to weaken its power in the wake of the political dispute with Israel over stalled peace talks.
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