The Palestinian sources said the Israeli forces arrested six Palestinians in Hebron, three near Ramallah, two near Qalqilyah and two in Bethlehem and nearby town of Beit Fajjar.

Media reports said they were arrested after the Israeli troops carried out a combing operation in the area. The arrests were seen as part of Israel’s “revolving door policy.” “Before implementing the second stage of the prisoners exchange deal, the Israeli authorities will apprehend the same number, if not more,” reports said.

Hamas reached an agreement with Israel two weeks ago to release abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. The first stage of the Egyptian-brokered deal, which saw the release of 477 Palestinian prisoners, will be followed by the release of additional 550 prisoners two months later.

The Israeli sources said that the detainees are wanted by the Israeli security forces and were taken to unknown locations for questioning by the Israeli internal intelligence service Shin Bet.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) says that the Israeli raids hinder its security forces to tighten their grip on the Palestinian territories. Israel does not allow the PA to have any security role in specific areas in the West Bank that the 1993 Oslo peace agreement between the two sides classified as C areas.

In a related development, the Israeli Army General Staff said Israel should make a series of gestures to the PA and President Mahmoud Abbas to reduce the damage caused the PA by the Shalit deal. Israeli politicians say the deal has doubled the Hamas power in Palestinian territories at the PA’s expense.

The Israeli daily Haaretz said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisers vehemently oppose the idea, as do several members of his forum of eight senior ministers.

The report cited the advisers as saying Abbas “should be punished” for his unilateral bid for UN recognition of a Palestinian state.

According to the report, the army will give the government in November a list of the gestures it recommends, including releasing additional Palestinian prisoners and perhaps transferring additional parts of the West Bank to Palestinian security control.