Israel raids prison to capture militants

ISRAELI forces smashed into a West Bank jail with tanks and bulldozers yesterday, seizing a Palestinian militant leader.

This followed a siege that ignited protests across Palestinian areas and saw two people lose their lives.

Ahmed Saadat, accused by Israel of involvement in the 2001 killing of an Israeli cabinet minister, was among a group of prisoners who walked out of Jericho jail with their hands up just after nightfall, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.

Israel’s seizure of Mr Saadat, following Palestinian suggestions he might be freed, could strengthen the security credentials of interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert two weeks ahead of a general election that he is expected to win.

Israeli forces had used tanks and bulldozers to smash into the jail and seize Mr Saadat and five other prominent prisoners.

At least seven foreigners in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were kidnapped by militants furious that US and British monitors left Jericho jail before the raid. Two Australians and an American were later released.

A guard and a prisoner were killed in clashes at the jail where Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader Mr Saadat had been since 2002. At least 10 people were wounded.

Islamic militant group Hamas, due to form the next Palestinian government, warned Israel against harming him. Mr Saadat was elected to the legislature in January.

Palestinian officials accused Mr Olmert of an election stunt.

The United States said it had been in touch with both sides to urge restraint.

Israeli soldiers first blew up the outer wall of the prison compound, then brought up bulldozers that began to take the building apart room by room as guards exchanged fire sporadically with the besieging troops.

Israel said it launched the raid because it feared the six could be released, as Hamas had suggested after it won a January election. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also said last week that he was prepared to free them.

Israel says Mr Saadat ordered the killing of Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001. The PFLP, one of the smaller groups waging a Palestinian uprising, said it assassinated Mr Zeevi to avenge the killing of one of its leaders.

As well as Mr Saadat, Israel was pursuing five other prominent militants. They included the gunman who killed Mr Zeevi and Fuad Shobaki, the alleged mastermind of an illegal weapons shipment to the Palestinian Authority several years ago.

Despite Israeli threats to kill the prisoners if they did not surrender, Mr Saadat had remained defiant for some time.

“Maybe they will take us alive or dead. We will not surrender,” he told al-Jazeera television by telephone during the afternoon.

“Our morale is high and we will die as men.”

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat denounced the raid as a “massive provocation” that could lead to unprecedented unrest.

US and British officials said monitors left because the Palestinians had failed to implement requested security improvements.

Israel had agreed to allow the Authority to keep Mr Saadat in Jericho prison under international supervision in a deal to end an Israeli siege of Yasser Arafat’s compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah in May 2002.

In Gaza, PFLP militants and protesters set ablaze the British Council and stormed buildings used by the EU and a US group.