Clarity of Explanation in Order

"The Palestinian official account is baseless. The safe box has been in regular use -- my mom (who lives there) told me that. The box was moved a day earlier and apparently something happened in the way.
"We, the family, believe it is a crime, and we need to find out what happened."
Rana al-Jamal

Understandably, a family is in mourning. The daughter of the Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Jamal al-Jamal, has expressed her rejection of the official explanation given by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki that this was a simple unfortunate accident that took the life of  the PA's ambassador. Inexplicably, an explosion took place when the ambassador -- at the official residence which also represents the embassy itself -- attempted to open a long-disused safe.

But the safe which had been moved along with other embassy items to a newly opened embassy-residence complex, had evidently, according to the ambassador's wife, been in constant use, disputing the official explanation. The safe, therefore, was booby-trapped, presumably on a more recent basis. One explanation had it that this was done to avert unauthorized opening of the safe; it would have to be disarmed by someone in possession of the disarming code.

If so, the fact that it was armed with an explosive device and the code to be used to disarm it appears to have been unknown to the new ambassador who had just recently taken up his duties in the Czech Republic. A critical oversight, one that cost him his life. On the other hand, might he have been a target for assassination, and if so, by whom, other than perhaps an opposing force? That might have to be Hamas, since Fatah which controls the PA and Hamas do indulge in revenge-murder.

"We have lost trust in the diplomats. We feel deceived by them", stated Prague's Mayor, Petr Hei. Mr. Heji was evidently not satisfied by the temporary assurances and explanations that further enquiries are taking place, given to him personally by Deputy Foreign Minister Jiri Schneider. Disturbing, to say the least, the discovery by Czech police of unspecified illegal weapons within the new complex when they investigated the explosion of the safe.

According to Czech police spokespersons, it hasn't been made clear why the Palestinians kept weapons at the embassy to begin with. No details respecting the number of weapons, or what type they represented were divulged to the public. The Czech Foreign Ministry is seeking an explanation from the Palestinian Authority, however, given the official recognition of the PA as a diplomatic mission of long standing.

"The Palestinian side has promised to check whether the Palestinian activities in the past had been in line with Czech law", was the comment provided by the ministry. Offering ample enough wiggle room in an explanation that might be deemed satisfactory, from the Palestinians to the Czech authorities.

Although the PA does enjoy official status in the Czech Republic, relations between the two have been somewhat strained since the Czech Republic distinguished itself from the acquiescence of a majority number of UN countries in withholding its vote of controversial recognition of a Palestinian state last year at the United Nations. Seen now as an ally of Israel within the European Union, it might not be held in high esteem by the PA.

The Czech Republic should hold the PA's feet to the fire of an enquiry over the incident. Demanding an explanation for the presence of weapons in an embassy where diplomatic status is extended and the expectations would be that a foreign element in a friendly country would respect the laws of the land, despite that embassies are considered in lieu of foreign sovereign right.

Above all, the Czech Republic authorities should stand fast in their demands to be fully apprised as to the background of a safe fitted out with an explosive device being used by foreign diplomats who have been extended the courtesy of diplomatic niceties and protections under both Czech Republic laws and the universal protection given diplomats under the Vienna Convention.

Storing weapons in an embassy for what possible use? Installing explosive devices for what very particular purpose? A friendly country's auspices is not, after all, a war zone. Or is it?