General strike takes place in West Bank after Hamas deputy leader killed

RAMALLAH -- A general strike on Wednesday took place in the West Bank after Hamas' deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri and other leaders of the Islamic militant group were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

The strike, called by the Fatah movement and other factions, closed shops, markets, schools, universities, banks, and public and private offices.

The factions urged Arab countries and their people to take a "decisive and immediate stance" against the killing of al-Arouri and the commanders of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing.

They said in a statement that "the resistance continues" and declared "general national mourning and a general strike."

They also denounced the attack as "a cowardly and treacherous targeting on Arab land in an Arab capital," and called for a strong response from the Arab countries.

Al-Arouri, 57, is considered one of the prominent Hamas leaders and a founder of the al-Qassam Brigades and its cells in the West Bank.

He was imprisoned in Israel for more than 18 years and was deported by Israeli authorities from Palestinian territories upon his last release in 2010. In the same year, he was elected as a Hamas politburo member.

Israeli officials had recently threatened to assassinate Hamas leaders inside and outside the Palestinian territories, especially al-Arouri, who was accused by Israeli security agencies of funding militant cells in the West Bank.