Jerusalem: Former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has been detained for almost three hours by Israeli police and army for over speeding.
West Bank police and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops yesterday pulled over the black mercedes carrying Qurei after it was measured at a speed of 145 kilometres per hour, well above the 80 kph limit on that particular highway.
The security forces ordered Qurei`s driver to stop as it was driving along a road near the settlement of Ma`aleh Adumim, adjacent to the entrance to the Palestinian village of Azaria.
The driver is said to have refused orders following which Israeli authorities set up a roadblock well ahead of the spot.
Qurei, a prominent member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, and his driver were detained for three hours following which the authorities ordered them to appear before the police traffic division.
As per local media reports, initially Qurei refused police requests to open his car window as he sat inside the vehicle.
It was only after the intervention of a government official, Maj Gen Eitan Dangot, that Qurei was allowed to continue onward.
Palestinian sources told the Ma`an news agency that Qurei refused to give police his or his driver`s identification papers.
The incident will be among the topics to be discussed during Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, the agency reported.
