Hamas leader arrested in W. Bank weeks after his release

Sheikh Hassan Yousef detained at Za'atara checkpoint south of Nablus; he was released recently along with 200 Palestinian prisoners.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Sheikh Hassan Yousef 311 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
Sheikh Hassan Yousef 311 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman)
Palestinian sources on Thursday reported that the IDF had arrested senior Hamas activist Sheikh Hassan Yousef when he tried to cross a checkpoint south of Nablus after a meeting in Jenin. Palestinian news channel Ma'an called Yousef a "senior leader" in the Islamist group.
According to the Palestinian sources, he was stopped along with his wife and children who were held up at the Za'atara checkpoint in the West Bank for a number of hours.
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Afterward, he was taken to an undisclosed location. It was unclear why Yousef was arrested.
Yousef had spent the last six years in prison, and was released only a short while ago.
The Ramallah area native, originally from the village of Al-Ghaniya, is considered one of the most prominent and "popular" Hamas members in the West Bank, Hamas affiliated newspaper al Resalah said, and has been vocal in criticism of the Palestinian Authorities alleged clamping down on Hamas-affiliated activists.
Yousef was released last month along with some 200 Palestinian prisoners. He was release a month and half early as a good gesture by Israel for Ramadan.