Palestinians protest over conditions

Armed gardaí were called to the office of the General Delegation of Palestine on Adelaide Road, Dublin, on Wednesday after two well-known Palestinian militants forced their way into the building. Gardaí said at least one of the men armed himself with a knife once inside.

The men, Mr Jihad Jaara (31) and Mr Rami Kamel (22), have been living in Ireland since last year when they were among 13 Palestinians involved in a five-week siege with Israeli security forces at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

As part of a deal to end the siege the 13 men were deported to Cyprus and then to a number of EU States. Ireland agreed to take Mr Kamel and Mr Jaara.

In recent weeks Mr Jaara left the jurisdiction and travelled to Spain for a holiday, contrary to the terms of his stay in Ireland. However, a number of sources last night confirmed that when the Spanish authorities learned of his presence in their country they sent him back to Ireland.

On Wednesday staff at the General Delegation of Palestine alerted gardaí to the break-in at around 1.30 p.m.

A number of officers from Pearse Street Garda station, backed by armed members of the Special Branch, sped to the building.

While the Palestinian Delegate-General, Mr Ali Halimeh, was not in the building he returned and negotiated with the men, whom he had met before. Three hours after the incident began the men agreed to leave. No one was injured during the siege and no arrests were made.

"We sat down, we exchanged some words and we agreed a solution and then they left," Mr Halimeh said.

He added the two men were protesting at the living arrangements of Mr Jaara. When the two first came to Ireland they were given a house to live in together. However, Mr Kamel has since married and his wife is expecting a baby. Because of this Mr Jaara wants his own home.

The two men have also grown unhappy in Ireland and on Wednesday told Mr Halimeh they wish to return to Gaza.

"We have been in contact with the Israeli authorities on that and we are hoping for a solution," Mr Halimeh said. "I cannot tell you when that might happen. Jihad phoned me [on Wednesday\] night and he said he hoped I was not upset at what had happened."

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Ambassadors and Delegate-Generals often request security from the Department. However, a spokeswoman said once the Department passed the request on to gardaí "it becomes a Garda matter".

Gardaí said the incident had ended amicably and they were happy to let Mr Halimeh deal with the situation.

"When we got to the scene we were informed by staff that one of the men was armed. Our primary concern was for those in the building. But it all ended amicably and the two men left" he said.

Mr Jaara and Mr Kamel are both veterans of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In an interview with this newspaper in June Mr Kamel described how he had bought a gun from an Israeli dealer last October. The weapon was booby-trapped and when he tried to use it, it blew his hand off. Mr Jaara is receiving ongoing medical attention after he was shot in the leg during the Bethlehem siege.