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Abbas rushes home after jail raid
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has cut short a trip to Europe after a raid by the Israeli army on a prison in Jericho that sparked violent protests.
The Israelis seized a number of inmates, including a man prisoner blamed for killing an Israeli minister.
Mr Abbas condemned the raid - as well as the international monitors who had been guarding the jail but had pulled out because of security concerns.
He was on the first day of a trip aimed at securing aid for the Palestinians.
"I have interrupted my visit to return to my country," Mr Abbas told journalists in Strasbourg, France.
The BBC's Alex Kroeger in Strasbourg said the trip - which was to include a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday - was an important one.
The EU, as the single largest donor to the Palestinian Authority, donates around $340m each year.
But since the election victory of Hamas - a listed terrorist organisation by the EU - it has been reconsidering its position.
Condemnations
An Israeli foreign ministry official said Tuesday's prison raid was necessary because several militants were about to be freed.
They included Ahmed Sadaat, wanted by Israel in connection with the killing of Israeli minister Rehavam Zeevi five years ago. All the prisoners surrendered to Israel.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4807680.stm
Mr Abbas condemned the raid - as well as the international monitors who had been guarding the jail but had pulled out because of security concerns.
He was on the first day of a trip aimed at securing aid for the Palestinians.
"I have interrupted my visit to return to my country," Mr Abbas told journalists in Strasbourg, France.
The BBC's Alex Kroeger in Strasbourg said the trip - which was to include a speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday - was an important one.
The EU, as the single largest donor to the Palestinian Authority, donates around $340m each year.
But since the election victory of Hamas - a listed terrorist organisation by the EU - it has been reconsidering its position.
Condemnations
An Israeli foreign ministry official said Tuesday's prison raid was necessary because several militants were about to be freed.
They included Ahmed Sadaat, wanted by Israel in connection with the killing of Israeli minister Rehavam Zeevi five years ago. All the prisoners surrendered to Israel.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4807680.stm
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