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Israeli forces on Sunday raided the offices of the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem, authorities said after an investigation into a sale of land.
Israeli authorities confirmed the attack at al-Ram, just across the Israeli separation wall from Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank.
The raid follows the arrest and detention of Governor Adnan Gheith on 20 October. Gheith was released after two days.
Adnan al-Husseini, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs of the Palestinian Authority, said AFP that Israeli forces confiscated documents and equipment during the raid, which, he said, was the first of such action by Israel.
The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs is located in the same building as the governor's office.
Palestinian government spokesman Yusuf Mahmud described Israel's action as "a dangerous escalation of the occupation and a flagrant violation of all international laws and agreements."
In a statement, the Israeli security agency Shin Bet said that the joint raid of the police and the army was linked to "an illegal activity of the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem".
He added that "various materials have been seized and will be examined by security organs".
Asked to clarify what illegal activity, the Shin Bet only declared that all the activities of the PA in Jerusalem were illegal.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the Six Day War of 1967, which it subsequently annexed, which has never been recognized by the international community.
It considers the entire city as its capital, while the Palestinians regard the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.
The Palestinian Authority has a minister of Jerusalem affairs and a governor in Jerusalem, located in al-Ram. The activities of the Palestinian Authority are prohibited in Jerusalem itself.
Israeli media reported that the investigation followed the arrest last month by a man accused of selling a property in East Jerusalem to a Jewish buyer.
These sales are highly controversial among Palestinians concerned about Israeli settlers buying property in East Jerusalem.
But among the Israelis, calls have been made for the authorities to release the man arrested by the PA during the sale.
Neither the Palestinian Authority nor the Israeli authorities have commented on the alleged arrest of the seller of property, which was published by the Israeli newspaper. Haaretz reported was a Palestinian with US citizenship
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