Special Report: Israeli raid on prison

    GAZA, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Thursday that there is a crisis in Palestinian-American and the Palestinian-British diplomatic ties after Israeli raid on Palestinian prison in West Bank town of Jericho Tuesday. Erekat told the Voice of Palestine radio that if the American and British monitors at the Palestinian-controlled Jericho jail didn't pull out, then the Israeli attack was not going to be carried out.

    Asked if relations with the two countries would get into acrisis after the Jericho raid, during which Israel captured Secretary General of the Poplar front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Ahmed Saddat, Erekat responded there is already a crisis.

    He added that it would be better for the U.S. and Britain to speed up in working to guarantee the release of Saddat and Foad al-Shoubaki, top Fatah leader wanted by Israel, because kidnapping them is illegal and "I believe issues are complicated and dangerous on more than a level."

    On Tuesday night Israeli army ended its raid on Jericho prison by abducting Saddat and four of his comrades, who are wanted by Israel for planning and killing Israeli former tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001.

    It's an open war aims at imposing facts on ground, strengthening occupation, annexing Jerusalem and the valleys by annulling the international legitimacy resolutions as well as canceling the Arab legitimacy declarations, Erekat said. Meanwhile, Erekat considered Jericho-raid as a real strike and targets the Palestinian National Authority and a direct strike to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

    The U.S., Britain and Israel attempted to lay the blame of Jericho raid on president Abbas and the PNA, he added. Enditem