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Home to mom (Oliver Fit0ussi/Flash90)
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| By Israel Insider staff July 21, 2007 |
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| Palestinian prisoners greeted by loved ones (Oliver Fit0ussi/Flash90) |
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In another "gesture" to Abbas, Israel releases 250 Palestinian prisoners
After issuing an amnesty for 190 wanted terrorists earlier in the week, the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert continued his "gestures" to the Palestinian Authority by releasing more than 250 Palestinian prisoners.
In the biggest prisoner release in two years, Israeli prison officials drove 255 prisoners from Ketziot prison in the Negev desert to Beitunya checkpoint. From there the Palestinian Authority bussed them to the West Bank capital of Ramallah where, flashing victory signs, waving flags and kissing loved ones, they were reunited with their families and comrades.
"I thank God that we are honored by the return of heroes of freedom to their home and the bosom of their homeland," Abbas told the thousands who thronged the courtyard of his compound to welcome the prisoners. But the initial release was seen as just a first installment: "This is just the beginning.... Our work must continue until every prisoner returns to his home."
There are estimated to be about 11,000 Palestinian security prisoners still in Israeli custody.
"I only have three words to say: freedom, freedom, freedom. There is nothing more beautiful than freedom," said Abdelrahim Malluh, 60, deputy leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, among the most prominent to be freed.
PFLP terrorists were behind the assassination of Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi, the suicide bombing in a pizzeria in Karnei Shomron, murdering two teenagers, and numerous other attacks.
The release also included six women and 11 minors.
Arab Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi participated in the homecoming ceremony for released terrorists in Ramallah Friday, after meeting with Abbas.
US State Department spokesman Tom Casey described the move as an "important gesture," expressing the hope that "this is just one more sign there is growing desire to work together and ability to work together between the Israelis and Palestinians to make progress on some of the tough issues," he added.
After being welcomed individually by Abbas, they paid homage at the tomb of Yasser Arafat and held a collective prayer session under a tent.
The prisoner who served the longest sentence is Muhannad Jaradat, detained in 1989 and sentenced to 20 years. "Today I'm reborn. Unfortunately my father, who I dreamt of seeing again, died while I was in prison," the 40-year-old told AFP.
"Now my priority is to enroll at university to continue my studies and continue efforts to release the other prisoners," he said.
Olmert agreed to the release as a goodwill gesture to bolster Abbas in his struggle for power with Hamas after the latter's takeover of Gaza last month. Most of the prisoners belong to Abbas's Fatah party.
None of those freed on Friday have "blood on their hands" -- involvement in attacks that have killed Israelis -- and all had to sign a "commitment not to be involved in terror" before their release.
The release of one terrorist was canceled when he proclaimed himself a Hamas member. The release of another was delayed after he initially refused to sign the commitment; but was eventually persuaded to do so.
But many of those released had attempted to kill Israeli using bombs and rifles, or planning such attacks.
But Ismail Haniya, prime minister of the Hamas-led government that Abbas sacked last month, scorned the moves. "We are happy when Palestinian prisoners are released but we warn against using them as political bribery because Israel's so-called good intentions are a trap intended to undermine Palestinian unity," he told worshippers in a Gaza mosque.
Victims' Rights Activist: Israelis revolted by release
Longtime terror victims' activist Meir Indor says many Israelis are disgusted at the whole process. Interviewed by Israel National News, Indor -- head of the Almagor Terror Victims Association -- watched the terrorists being released At Ketziot prison. "I came with just one other person," he said, "a man whose son was murdered by terrorists several years ago and who came straight from visiting a monument to his son, and yet the authorities here didn't let us come near the reporters. They called this mission 'Fresh Breeze,' and they didn't want to let anything ruin the refreshing atmosphere..."
"But I can tell you," Indor continued, "that even though the politicians and the higher-ups in the army and those who are waiting to be promoted don't object to this release, the fact is that as you go further down in the army and security forces, there is a lot of opposition and disgust. Opposition to this deal is very widespread... It's just a terrible deal for Israel. And the authorities tried to hide its full extent. Even today, the commander of the southern region of the Israel Prison Service was quoted as saying that all the prisoners to be released had served 70% of their time -- when in fact he's either stupid or a liar. About 3/4 of them have served only between a third and a half of their sentences, and we shown this in the Supreme Court yesterday!"
The court ruled 2-1 that the deal could go through, with Justice Elyakim Rubinstein dissenting. Indor said that opponents to the release scored some points in the hearing. "We also forced the State's representative to admit that several of them were repeat offenders. Judge Rubenstein asked, 'Don't you think that this is an indication that they should not be freed?'"
Indor was particularly outraged and disgusted with the attitude of the Israeli Prime Minister."Olmert just threw out the number 250," he said, "and then told the security services to deal with finding the right ones. And then when they came up with a list, Olmert behaved like a gangster and said, 'That would be insulting to Abu Mazen. I need bigger fish!' And so they gave him bigger fish -- people who placed bombs, who used to be sentenced to 20 years and now are sentenced to only 10, and now they got out after 3-4 years, just because they were lucky and the bomb didn't kill anyone but only damaged the car. And they included attempted murderers, and those who fired shots and missed, etc."
When the reporter asked Indor whether he was reassured by the pledges not to return to terror signed by the released prisoners, Indor retorted: "We have 196 families whose loved ones were murdered by terrorists who were once in prison. The lesson is simply not learned, and we see that Olmert's decisions are made hastily, not only in last summer's war, but here as well." Fatah claimed on Friday morning that 30 of the 255 freed prisoners were in fact Hamas members, but both Israel and Hamas denied this.
After initially being prevented from speaking to reporters, Indor was eventually allowed to express his views, explaining that his protest was intended to stop future releases. "I don't wage these battles in order to win," he said, "but merely in order to hopefully ensure that the next time, more terrorists will remain in prison." |
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