The Palestinian Authority’s UK envoy declared that he was “not aware” of the murder of a British student by a Palestinian terrorist in Jerusalem, despite the killing making national headlines in Britain, it has emerged.

Manuel Hassassian, who has represented the PA in Britain since 2005, was asked about the attack at a question and answer session at Imperial College London on May 4, as reported by the Guido Fawkes political blog, which has published a recording of part of the exchange.

The questioner challenged Mr Hassassian over the money the PA pays to terrorists, and referred to the murder of Hannah Bladon. The questioner said: “Three weeks ago, a 21-year-old British Christian student from Birmingham University… was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist, while [she] was on an exchange programme in Jerusalem. 

In the course of his answer, Mr Hassassian stated that he “was not aware of the incident himself that you mention”.

Ms Bladon was murdered on Friday April 14, while travelling on the Jerusalem light railway. According to reports by Israeli media, she was standing close to the terrorist because she had previously given up her seat so that a woman holding a baby could sit down.

Mr Hassassian also claimed in his answer that “there are 5,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and almost 80 per cent are under administrative detention… those are political prisoners”.

According to the B’Tselem NGO, as of last August there were 5,988 Palestinian security detainees and prisoners in Israeli jails, with 644 under administrative detention, closer to 11 percent than 80 per cent