Israeli army arrested eight Palestinians in the West Bank on Wednesday, including a Hamas lawmaker, witnesses and security sources said.

The lawmaker, Nayef al-Rojoub, was arrested from his house in the southern city of Hebron, said the witnesses, the other seven were detained in other cities in the West Bank.

In addition to his position at the disabled Hamas-dominated parliament, al-Rojoub had served as the religious affairs minister in 2006.

On June 20, Israel released al-Rojoub after holding him for nearly four years. Al-Rojoub was among tens of West Bank-based Hamas leaders whom Israel arrested in response to the capturing of an Israeli soldier by Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas parliamentary bloc said in a statement that it fears the arresting of the lawmaker was a prelude to another campaign to crack down on Hamas officials there.

In recent months, Israel freed most of the lawmakers. By Wednesday's detention, the number of detained Hamas legislators rises to seven.

The West Bank has been controlled by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which is dominated by President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party. In June 2007, Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and took over the Gaza Strip.