CAIRO, March 17 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Palestinian official said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has delayed his visit to Egypt from Saturday to a later date, Egypt's official MENA newsagency reported Friday.

    According to the report, Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu-Rdeineh revealed the postponement of Abbas' Cairo tour in statements to MENA.

    Abu-Rdeineh was quoted as saying that Abbas was supposed to wrap up his recent foreign tour with his Cairo visit, but he had to cut the tour short and returned home on Wednesday following the Israeli raid on the Palestinian-controlled Jericho prison on Tuesday.

    A new date for the visit will most likely be set before the coming Arab summit due to be opened in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on March 28, said Abu-Rdeineh.

    Egypt, a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinians and among Palestinian factions, has played an important role in seeking regional peace and stability.

    Israeli forces stormed the Jericho jail in a bid to arrest Ahmed Saadat, chief leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), worrying that he would be released as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas allegedly said last week tha the was prepared to free Saadat.

    Saadat was imprisoned for almost four years in the Jericho jail under the British and U.S. supervision for alleged role in the murder of Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001.

    The Jericho raid left two Palestinian prison guards killed and five others injured and caused growing anti-Israeli and anti-West riots by militants who abducted 12 foreigners with different nationalities while attacking the Western facilities.

    During a tour of the destroyed jail, Abbas condemned the Israeli raid as an unforgivable crime and an abduction of imprisoned Palestinians. Enditem