Egypt condemns storming of diplomatic office in Gaza

May 1, 2007, 7:59 GMT

Gaza - Egyptian diplomats in the Gaza Strip condemned Tuesday an attempt by demonstrators to storm the offices of the Egyptian delegation in the salient as part of a protest against the arrest of five Hamas militants.

A statement issued by the Egyptian Representative Office in the Strip said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed 'regret' at Monday's storming of its offices by what it termed 'elements from Hamas.'

'There is a difference between the right to peaceful demonstrations and attacks on buildings,' the statement said.

The demonstrators had erected a protest tent outside the Egyptian offices to demand the release of the five Hamas members who had been arrested after infiltrating Egypt.

The protests escalated Monday afternoon, when the demonstrators forced their way into the grounds of the office. A homemade bomb was tossed at the building, but fell short, causing no injuries.

Police and security men, summoned to the scene by the Egyptian diplomats, succeeded in pushing the demonstrators back.

President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, which sits in a coalition government with Hamas, also condemned the action Tuesday.

Fatah Gaza spokesman Maher Miqdad said that rather than storm the Egyptian building, the demonstrators should instead 'thank Egypt for what it is doing for the Palestinians.'

'Everyone knows the Egyptian delegation is working under difficult circumstances in Gaza in order to protect Palestinian interests,' he said.