Israel is holding a journalist for the al-Jazeera television network on charges that he belongs to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Al-Jazeera's Kabul bureau chief Samer Allawi appeared before an Israeli military judge Tuesday and was told of the accusations. He denied the charges.

Al-Jazeera's Arabic-language network says Israeli authorities arrested Allawi on August 10 as he tried to leave the Israeli-occupied West Bank for Jordan. It says Allawi had been vacationing at his home village of Sebastia prior to his arrest. He carries a Jordanian passport.

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

Israeli authorities have confirmed the arrest but refused to comment further.

Hamas controls the Gaza Strip. Israel, the United States and the European Union consider the group to be a terrorist organization.