Israeli court extends arrest of top Palestinian official

Israeli policeman stand by a Palestinian governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith during a court appearance following his arrest in Jerusalem. (AP)

• The court will hold the Palestinians’ Jerusalem governor, Adnan Ghaith, in custody until Sunday

JERUSALEM: The lawyer of a top Palestinian official in Jerusalem arrested for illegally collaborating with Palestinian security services says an Israeli court has extended his detention.
Lawyer Rami Othman says the court will hold the Palestinians’ Jerusalem governor, Adnan Ghaith, in custody until Sunday.
Ghaith and more than 30 Palestinian activists were arrested this week for allegedly supporting Palestinian security forces in violation of interim peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians.
An Israeli court ordered the release of 24 activists on bail and ordered another 10 to remain in detention.
The arrests, unusual in scale and made under a rarely enforced offense, appear to have been prompted by the detention of a Palestinian Jerusalemite who allegedly sold property in the city to Jews, a punishable crime under Palestinian law.