TEL AVIV Ñ Israel has captured what officials said was the top operative leading the Palestinian insurgency and a key aide to Yasser Arafat.

Officials said an Israeli commando unit captured Marwan Barghouti, head of the Arafat-led Fatah movement in the West Bank. Barghouti has been regarded as the architect of the Palestinian insurgency against Israel, including suicide-bombings in Israeli cities. He has at times challenged Arafat's authority, according to Middle East Newsline.

Israel has accused Barghouthi of leading Fatah-affiliated bombers and gunmen behind scores of attacks against Israelis. Barghouthi has denied the allegations.

Barghouthi, sought by Israel since it launched a West Bank offensive on March 29, was discovered in an apartment in the city of Ramallah and arrested by the army, the sources said.

Barghouti and his nephew, Ahmed, were captured on Monday in the West Bank city of Ramallah and brought to Israel for interrogation. Officials said Barghouti, who had been the object of an intensive Israeli manhunt, did not resist arrest.

Israeli officials said authorities are bracing for Fatah retaliation over Israeli independence day, which begins on Tuesday evening. Palestinian sources have confirmed that Barghouti was captured.

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