Violence flares in West Bank

Violence has once again reared its ugly head in the Middle East following an Israeli raid on a Palestinian jail.

Kidnappings and violence against Western agencies and people has spread across the West Bank after the Israeli army moved against a senior Palestinian militant at a prison in Jericho.

Seven Western workers, including the head of the International Red Cross in Gaza, are reported as being kidnapped in retaliation for the raid. Israel says that it has taken 182 people from the prison following concerns that Palestinian militant leader Ahmed Saadat was about to be freed.

Under a 2002 deal, US and UK prison guards operated in the prison, but they pulled out just before the raid claiming that their security concerns about the prison were unheeded.

Dismissing Palestinian claims that the UK had breeched agreements, foreign secretary Jack Straw said that security guarantees were ignored and he has urged all British citizens without proper protection to leave Palestinian territory.

A British Council cultural centre was attacked as an EU compound in Gaza was stormed and militants from the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades have warned all US and UK citizens to leave.