IDF soldiers (illustrative). Photo: IDF.

JNS.org – The IDF arrested one of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group’s senior commanders on Monday.

Israel’s Shin Bet security agency stated that PIJ commander Tariq Qa’adan was apprehended by the IDF in the Palestinian town of Arrabeh, southwest of Jenin, “for being a member of a terrorist group.”

Qa’adan was one of more than 1,000 Palestinian terrorists released in the October 2011 prisoner exchange deal with the Gaza-ruling terror group Hamas that freed Israeli solider Gilad Shalit.

In addition to Qa’adan, Israel arrested 13 Palestinian terror suspects in overnight raids.

Qa’adan’s arrest came after PIJ vowed Sunday to take revenge on Israel following the IDF’s recent destruction of a cross-border attack tunnel. The Israeli operation killed 10 PIJ operatives, including two senior commanders.

The PIJ threat was issued after Israel’s Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai warned the terror group not to retaliate for the tunnel’s destruction, stating that PIJ would be “held responsible” for an attack on Israel and that “any attack by the Islamic Jihad will be met with a powerful and determined Israeli response, not only against the Jihad, but also against Hamas,” which controls Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at Israel’s weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, “We will take a very firm stance against anyone who tries to attack us or attacks us from any area,” and that Hamas would be held responsible for any attack launched from Gaza.