FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Israel says its forces swept through the West Bank, arresting more than 100 Palestinians in its effort against the militant group Hamas. But a Palestinian official accuses Israel of undermining the road map to peace. Matthew Chance joins us from Jerusalem with more details -- Matthew.</s>MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Fredricka. There's been sharp criticism from members of the Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian officials, as well as the Israeli army. They've detained as many as 150 Palestinians in what it says is a crackdown on the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Most of those arrests being made in the West Bank city of Hebron. But we understand at least 24 people were also detained in the town of Nablus, which is also on the West Bank. Palestinians were arrested in house-to-house searches, blindfolded, their hands cuffed, taken away for questioning. It's not clear how long they will be held. But Israeli officials say some of them could be released in a matter of hours. Israeli officials say Hamas activists in the Hebron area have been responsible for the killings of 52 Israeli citizens in the course of the past 12 months. But Of course their decision to crack down now is a very controversial one, coming as it does as Hamas leaders apparently moved closer towards suspending their attacks against Israelis after intensive negotiations with members of the Palestinian Authority. The arrests in Hebron, of course follow the killing there over the weekend by Israeli forces of a senior Hamas leader, Abdullah Kuwasma (ph). That killing drew criticism from the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell saying the killing may prove to be an impediment to progress. Palestinian officials have criticized the latest Israeli arrests, saying they undermine not just the Palestinian Authority, but also the U.S.-backed road map to peace as well -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Matthew Chance, thank you very much.
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