The kidnapping of the Palestinian deputy prime minister, Dr Nasser Al-Din Al-Shaer, by Israeli forces represents the kidnapping of Palestinian efforts to form a national unity government, based on the prisoners' document accord.

The spokesperson of the Palestinian government, Dr Ghazi Hamad, condemned the kidnapping of Dr Al-Shaer, deputy Palestinian prime minister and Minister of Education from his house in Ramallah.

Dr Hamad considered the process as part of the widespread Israeli attempts to overthrow the democratically elected Palestinian government.

The Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs also condemned the kidnap and said that it is violation of international law, particularly article 147 of the Fourth Geneva convention.

For its part, the Prisoners Supporters Society considered the kidnap a gesture of the Israeli government's confusion and lack of clear vision, which resulted from the hard defeat of the Israeli army in Lebanon.

Earlier this morning, Israeli forces kidnapped Dr Al-Shaer.

The wife of the deputy prime minister said, "A large contingent of Israeli forces broke into our home and arrested my husband. They have been trying to chase him since the Israeli authorities launched a military campaign following the kidnap of the Israeli soldier in the south of the Gaza Strip."