PA apologizes to Czech Republic over weapons in embassy

PA Foreign Ministry official says weapons were "being held inside old bags and the alternation of Palestinian ambassadors."

An investigator works at the site of the explosion in Prague January 1, 2014. (photo credit: REUTERS)
An investigator works at the site of the explosion in Prague January 1, 2014.
(photo credit: REUTERS)

The Palestinian Authority has officially apologized to the Czech Republic over weapons that were recently discovered in the Palestinian mission in Prague.

Czech authorities discovered 12 weapons and explosives inside the mission after a blast killed Palestinian ambassador Jamal al-Jamal earlier this month.
The PA Foreign Ministry and Czech police said at the time the explosion occurred when Jamal opened an old safe.
The Palestinian Maan news agency said the PA Foreign Ministry sent a letter of apology to the Czech government concerning the weapons and explosives that were found inside the mission compound.
The agency said the PA ministry apologized for not informing the Czech authorities about the existence of the weapons.
The PA ministry expressed hope the discovery would not impact Palestinian-Czech relations.
The PA leadership affirms its respect for the Czech government and people, the letter of apology said.
Tayseer Jaradat, a senior official with the PA Foreign Ministry, told the agency that the mission in Prague did not notify the Czech authorities about the existence of the weapons “because they were being held inside old bags and the alternation of Palestinian ambassadors.”
Jaradat said the weapons found inside the mission were old and had been presented to Palestinian diplomats as gifts.