Al-Jazeera says Israel has arrested its Kabul bureau chief, who was visiting his hometown in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The station's Arabic-language network says Israel detained Samer Allawi on August 10 as he was trying to cross into Jordan. He had been vacationing in the Palestinian village of Sebastia prior to his arrest.

The journalist's family told his employer that Israel informed them his arrest was “security-related.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists says Israel arrested Allawi without providing any justification. They have called on Israel to clarify why it is keeping the journalist in custody.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities on the matter.

Allawi carries a Jordanian passport.