Israel releases Palestinian Jerusalem minister after hours of arrest

RAMALLAH, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Authority on Sunday confirmed that the Israeli authorities had released Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Fadi al-Hadmi hours after he was detained from his home in East Jerusalem.

According to al-Hadmi's lawyer Muhannad Jabara, the arrest was a result of pressures from the Israeli right wing on the government after al-Hadmi accompanied Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and his visiting delegation on a tour in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city.

Jabara said Israeli intelligence and police questioned al-Hadmi during his detention about his alleged violation of "Israel's sovereignty" over Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque by accompanying the Chilean president in the city.

Al-Hadmi, who was recently appointed as the Jerusalem minister, was arrested in his house in the late hours of Saturday night.