Qatari ambassador to return to Gaza

The Qatari ambassador to the Palestinian government, Abdu El-Motawa, is to head this week to Gaza for the first time after returning to Doha on January 2 escorted by Esam Abdu Isah, head of Palestine International Bank, after the eruption of a political dispute.

Abdu Isah resorted to the Qatari consulate on January 2 to protect himself from detention by Palestinian security forces that besieged the consulate's building.

The Qatari ambassador intervened to solve the crisis with Abdu Isah's brother, yet the latter was detained and was put under house arrest.

A Qatari source said the ambassador's return to Gaza is due to Doha's adherence to not escalating the crisis with the Palestinian government.

Qatar issued a statement on December 29 in which it condemned the Palestinian procedures and the attempt to besiege the Qatari consulate.