JERICHO, West Bank, 16 March 2006 — Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of a “dreadful crime” yesterday as he toured the scene of an Israeli raid on a West Bank prison that sparked anger in the territories.
He condemned Israel’s raid on a Jericho prison and the seizure of Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as a crime that would not be forgiven. Across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Palestinians went on strike over an Israeli operation that has boosted interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ahead of March 28 elections.
Israeli security forces were on high alert after PFLP and the Hamas group promised retaliation as the four remaining foreign hostages, who were seized in response to the Israeli raid, were freed.
Abbas said he could understand the anger of Palestinians but appealed for a halt to attacks on Western targets. “What happened in Jericho was a dreadful crime... Israel had no right to carry out this kidnapping,” said Abbas, who cut short a European tour to manage the crisis.
He acknowledged the Palestinian Authority had been warned that American and British monitors at the prison were set to be pulled out but said they were kept in the dark about the timing of their withdrawal just minutes before the Israeli assault.
“As a consequence, there is definitely no responsibility for the Palestinian Authority about this issue,” he told reporters.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had denied Palestinian charges of collusion with the Israeli operation, insisting that London had informed both Israel and the Palestinians of the pullout on March 8.
Abbas reiterated calls for Saadat and the other five Palestinians to be returned immediately to the previous custody arrangements. But Israel made clear there was no question of handing them back, five of whom it holds responsible for the 2001 killing of far-right Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi.
Amid criticism of the raid from both the European Union and Russia — two of the main players in the Middle East peace process — Olmert strongly defended the operation, saying there had been no misgivings in either London or Washington.
Russia expressed its “profound concern” at the Israeli raid and said it was critical to avoid an escalation of violence.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair told MPs that the withdrawal had been forced by concerns for the monitors’ safety.
“For the past three months we have been warning the Palestinian Authority that the security of these monitors was at risk, that the procedures at the particular detention center were not adequate and proper.”
But outgoing Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Qidwa rejected his explanation. “We do not agree with the assessment that there was any direct threat to the monitors there,” he told reporters.
The four hostages — Canadian teacher Adam Budzanowski, South Korean television correspondent Yong Tae-young and French journalists Caroline Laurent and Alfred Yacobzadeh — were brought back to Jerusalem after being freed in Gaza City.
— Additional input from agencies
