TEL AVIV Ñ Israeli officials said the capture of the main operative of the Palestinian insurgency and a key aide to Yasser Arafat amounts to a strategic blow against the Al Aqsa Brigade, the umbrella group directing the Palestinian insurgency.

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.

Israeli officials said authorities are bracing for Fatah retaliation over Israeli independence day, which begins on Tuesday evening, Middle East Newsline reported.

Barghouti has at times publicly challenged Arafat's authority. He had been out of the limelight for nearly three weeks.

The Fatah leader, the commander of the Al Aqsa Brigade, was not included in Arafat's group of aides under siege in Ramallah. Palestinian sources said this could have signalled Arafat's decision to distance himself from the Barghouti.

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

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the 43-year-old Fatah leader will be put on trial. Such a prospect is being examined by Israeli Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein.

Hours after Barghouti's capture, Fatah launched mortar attacks on Israeli positions in the Gaza Strip. Israeli military sources said Palestinian insurgents also tried to infiltrate Jewish settlements in the area.

Overnight Tuesday, Israeli troops captured in the Ramallah suburb of Beitunia a regional Hamas leader, identified as Fayez Abu Raghda. Israeli military sources said another leading Hamas operative was also captured in the area. Later, Israeli troops began withdrawing from the areas around Bethlehem, Nablus and Tulkarm.

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