Israeli commandos seized a Palestinian policeman and his brother in a sweep for militants in a West Bank village, adding to pressures facing a new US peace mission to the Middle East.
Meanwhile the Palestinian Authority said the diplomatic effort unveiled on Monday by US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell would fail if Israel stuck to its demand for a violence-free week before implementing a truce leading to talks.
Security sources said the Israeli army had been ordered to remain in position in the West Bank town of Jenin despite US calls for a complete withdrawal from Palestinian-ruled areas reoccupied last month.
The commando raid on the Palestinian-ruled village of Kufr al-Labad near the West Bank city of Tulkarm targeted two men - Mr Samer Kayed, a 24-year-old policeman, and his a 19-year-old brother Samir.
A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said both were suspected of terrorist activity and had been taken away for interrogation.
It said Mr Samer Kayed was a member of the militant group Hamas, and weapons and military equipment were found when the two were arrested in their homes.
Palestinian officials denied either man is amber of Hamas, which has carried out a wave of suicide attacks since the start of the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.
"This is an arbitrary action, Izz al-Din al-Sharif," governor of the Tulkarm area, said. Sharon and his government do not have a peace plan as long as they are kidnapping and assassinating Palestinians and entering our areas," he said.
In the Gaza Strip earlier today, a Palestinian man died of a heart attack after soldiers at a checkpoint blocked an ambulance rushing him to a nearby hospital, Palestinian medical officials said.