Israeli officials have expressed outrage today over Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's decision to free a militant jailed over the assassination of an Israeli minister.
Despite the row, one of the worst since the two sides agreed a ceasefire on February 8th, Israel is keeping to its plan to pull back troops from Jericho, the West Bank city where militant leader Ahmed Saadat is imprisoned.
Mr Abbas, trying to win the support of armed groups he hopes to persuade to formalise the ceasefire at talks in Egypt this week, said Saadat would go free when Israeli troops left Jericho. However the jailed militant said he had little faith in mr Abbas.
Israel says Saadat ordered the killing of Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi in 2001. He and three other militants are jailed in Jericho together with an aide to late president Yasser Arafat accused of smuggling arms during the Palestinian uprising.
"If the Palestinians dare to release them, Israel will get them quicker than they can imagine," said Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz in a curt statement.
