Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) speaks with a Palestinian man, wounded during Israeli army raid at Jericho jail, during his visit at the hospital in the West Bank city of Jericho March 15, 2006.  (Xinhua/Reuters)

RAMALLAH, March 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday condemned Israeli raid on Palestinian prison in the West Bank city of Jericho as an unforgivable crime.

    "Israeli raid on the prison is an abduction of imprisoned Palestinians and an unforgivable crime," Abbas said during a tour of the destroyed jail.

    As for Israel's arrest of Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) who has been jailed for almost four years for alleged role in the murder of Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001, Abbas said it was illegal abduction aimed at achieving domestic dirty gains," Abbas said.

    Commenting on riots in Gaza City following Israeli raid on Jericho prison, Abbas said that the Palestinians' anger over Jericho raid was justifiable but the kidnapping of foreigners was not justifiable.

    He also slammed the withdrawal of western monitors from the prison shortly before the Israeli operation, saying that the British and the American monitors informed the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) they would leave but refused to give the exact date.

    According to an agreement reached between the PNA and Israel four years ago, the people held in Jericho jail are not seen as prisoners but reserved people under supervision of unarmed American and British monitors.

    "The Palestinians are not to blame" for the raid, Abbas said, adding that it is Israel who committed a crime and violated the agreement.

    

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks to the media during a visit to the destroyed jail in the West Bank town of Jericho March 15, 2006. (Xinhua)

He added that chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat had suggested Israel transfer Saadat and the other PFLP members to Ramallah but Israel had not yet replied.

    Meanwhile, outgoing Palestinian foreign minister Nasser al-Qidwa considered the Israeli operation as an abduction.

    He said the Israeli behavior of forcing surrendered detainees to walk out of the prison only in underwear was inhuman.

    He also apologized to the foreigners who were taken hostage by Palestinian militants following Israeli assault, saying "I feel sorry for those who were subject to any unfair treatment."

    Six wanted detainees including Saadat surrendered to Israeli troops on Tuesday, ending a day-long siege of the Jericho prison, which left two security guards dead and triggered furious protest across the Gaza Strip and West Bank where foreigners were kidnapped and Western offices attacked.

    The last four of the 12 hostages were released on Wednesday. President Abbas cut short his European tour and returned to the Palestinian territories earlier in the day. Enditem